NFL Playoff Showdown: Prime Video Breaks Streaming Records with Bears vs. Packers
Amazon’s Prime Video set a new record for NFL streaming, attracting 31.61 million viewers during last Saturday’s wildcard playoff game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.
The game, notable for being only the third playoff encounter between the two historic teams, captivated audiences with a thrilling comeback. Chicago scored 25 points in the fourth quarter, ultimately winning 31-27, and surpassing the previous streaming high of 27.52 million viewers.
Netflix held the previous record, established on Christmas Day with the Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings telecast.
Streaming has become increasingly integral to the sports media landscape. Major players such as Amazon, Netflix, Apple, and YouTube have emerged as significant rights holders, complementing the efforts of traditional networks like Disney, Paramount, NBCUniversal, and Fox, each of which offers streaming services alongside their linear broadcasts.
Prime Video’s latest success follows a record-setting regular season, averaging 15.33 million viewers for its exclusive Thursday Night Football streams. This figure represents a 16% increase from 2024 and marks the highest average in the 20-year history of TNF. Contributing to this growth is Nielsen’s revised methodology, which now includes out-of-home viewing, essential for sports programming.
The Bears-Packers matchup generated a viewer increase of 43% compared to last year’s wildcard game on Prime Video, which featured the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. The peak audience reached 34.16 million viewers between 9:15 and 9:29 p.m. ET, according to Prime Video.
This game recorded the most concurrent viewers and the highest single-day global viewership in Prime Video’s history, based on company data. These metrics are crucial, as they highlight streaming capabilities and reflect both Amazon’s and the NFL’s global aspirations. The league has broadened its international game offerings, with plans to secure new media partnerships for its overseas slate after the 2029 season.
Before acquiring exclusive TNF rights in 2022, Prime Video simulcast NFL games and has since expanded its live sports portfolio to include NBA and WNBA rights.
“We could not have asked for a better game on Saturday, and very much appreciate our partners at the NFL who entrusted us to present such an incredible matchup,” said Jay Marine, Head of Prime Video U.S., Global Sports, and Advertising. “Surpassing 31 million viewers and setting an all-time streaming record illustrates our remarkable growth in a relatively short amount of time.”
Prime Video’s strong performance aligns with noteworthy viewership figures for other NFL playoff games. Paramount reported that the Buffalo Bills’ victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars averaged 32.71 million viewers, a 5% increase from the previous year, marking a record for the early-Sunday window on wildcard weekend. Fox’s coverage of the San Francisco 49ers’ win against the Philadelphia Eagles averaged 41.5 million viewers, while the L.A. Rams’ victory over the Carolina Panthers drew 28.3 million viewers on Saturday.
