NFL Draws 17.3 Million Viewers on YouTube Global Stream

The NFL's free streaming of the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers game on YouTube from São Paulo attracted a U.S. average-minute audience of 16.2 million and a global total of 17.3 million viewers, marking YouTube's highest concurrent live stream viewership. While the broadcast succeeded in expanding the league's reach to younger and global audiences on a free and accessible platform, some critics felt the viewership was underwhelming given the game's accessibility and promotion, with international viewership notably low at 1.1 million outside the U.S. Production quality was generally praised, especially with NBC's involvement, though some elements like influencer commentary and the pregame show received mixed reviews for failing to fully engage the targeted younger demographic. The NFL sees YouTube as a strategic move to extend its audience globally, leveraging the platform's massive reach of 2.5 billion monthly users, but challenges remain in maximizing promotional efforts and tailoring content to diverse viewer preferences. Despite some shortcomings, the game demonstrated the NFL's ongoing experimentation with streaming platforms to diversify its fan base and modernize its broadcast model.