Sunday’s Chiefs-Bills game sets new viewership record with 31.2 million fans tuning in

The National Football League is growing in popularity with record numbers pitching in for the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills game on Sunday. The Chiefs-Bills game dominated 100% of the national broadcast window and earned CBS its largest non-holiday NFL audience since 2007.

According to Sports Business Journal, the CBS Sports broadcast was viewed by 31.2 million. Outside of holiday games, the last time CBS drew such numbers was Week 9 in 2007, with 33.8 million viewers. That game featured two undefeated teams, Tom Brady’s New England Patriots and Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts, competing in a highly anticipated showdown.

The Chiefs-Bills game drew much similarity to the 2007 Patriots vs. Colts game. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are said to have the generation’s most intense rivalry according to several fans and critics as well. He registered his fourth win over Mahomes, becoming the QB with the most wins against Mahomes, including both regular and post-seasons.

Josh Allen has elevated his statistics and vision this season. Allen emerged as the leading contender to win his first NFL MVP after Week 11 antics, and is having an outstanding season with 2,543 passing yards, 18 passing touchdowns, and only five interceptions. He’s also effective on the ground, with 316 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, totaling 23 touchdowns in 11 games.

Meanwhile, the win over the Kansas City Chiefs took the Bills to their first 9-2 record since 1992. They are one of the biggest threats to Kansas in the AFC, trailing behind to usurp the Number One seed and take a bye in the first week of the postseason. They have also made a strong claim on a record fifth straight AFC East Divisional Title.

The Chiefs-Bills game aired nationally on CBS during the 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff slot, drawing massive viewership. Earlier on Sunday, CBS attracted another large audience in the early window, with 19.8 million viewers, primarily watching Ravens-Steelers on local affiliates. This marked CBS’s largest regional window audience since 1992.

CBS went to great lengths to secure the broadcast of the Chiefs-Bills game.

The Chiefs were one of the huge cash cows of the last season. Out of the top ten most viewed games last season, six of them featured the current champions. It was surprising when the Chiefs’ game against one of the biggest rivals in the last few years wasn’t slated for primetime.

CBS Sports CEO David Berson revealed to the Associated Press that his network’s “top request” for the 2024 schedule was the Chiefs-Bills matchup. The NFL granted CBS Sports’ petition, placing the game in the 4:25 p.m. ET national window.

Mike North, the NFL’s vice president for broadcasting, clarified on the It’s Always Gameday in Buffalo podcast that networks can’t lock in specific games. NFL guarantees CBS a minimum number of Chiefs and Bills games each year, which heavily influenced the timing of this matchup.

The network took advantage of the matchup, partaking in Bills Mafia tradition to bring in more viewers. The crew of NFL Today decided to join the gameday spirit by showing fans they could participate in the tradition of jumping through tables.