NFL Wild Card game on Peacock sets new streaming record

The AFC Wild Card Game, exclusively live-streamed on Peacock, has set a new benchmark in sports streaming.

This event, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs against the Miami Dolphins, has been officially recognized as the most-streamed live event in U.S. history, concurrently driving internet usage to a record peak for a single day in the country.

The game, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs emerge victorious with a score of 26-7 over the Miami Dolphins, was notable for being the NFL’s first-ever playoff game exclusively broadcast via live stream. The matchup attracted a significant viewership, with Nielsen reporting a reach of nearly 28 million total viewers. Notably, the viewer count peaked at an average of 24.6 million between 9:15 and 9:30 p.m. ET.

In terms of streaming statistics, the game’s average audience (AMA) was approximately 23.0 million viewers. This figure includes viewers across Peacock, NBC stations in Miami and Kansas City, and mobile through NFL+. The viewership marked a 6% increase compared to the previous year’s primetime AFC Wild Card Game.

Additionally, Peacock experienced its most significant day in terms of audience usage and engagement, registering a record 16.3 million concurrent devices. This surge in digital consumption underscores the increasing preference for streaming platforms among viewers.

The local viewership ratings also reflected the game’s popularity, with KSHB (NBC Kansas City) scoring a 45.1/74 and WTVJ (NBC Miami) achieving a 14.5/41 local rating/share. These figures, based on custom fast national live + same day data from Nielsen, highlight the significant impact and reach of this landmark streaming event. Official national data for the Peacock Exclusive AFC Wild Card will be released later this week.