49ers-Jets Boasts Solid Audience For ABC & ESPN Despite Disney-DirectTV Dispute, But NBC Wins NFL Week 1
deadline.comDespite not being available to 11M DirecTV customers, ESPN‘s Monday Night Football was still off to a strong start with its 49ers-Jets season opener.
The 49ers squashed Aaron Rodgers’ return to the field with a 32-19 win that drew 20.5M viewers across linear and streaming, making it the second most-watched Week 1 matchup in the ESPN era (since 2006).
The game was telecast across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, and NFL+. It couldn’t beat last season when 22.7M tuned in to watch the Buffalo Bills at New York Jets, but its still a win for the Disney-owned networks as the carriage dispute with DirecTV becomes more contentious by the day.
Both companies have been offering customers streaming solutions to help bridge the gap. But, NBC and Peacock were the real Week 1 champions, amassing 29.2M viewers for the Kansas City Chiefs’ 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens to kick off the season last Thursday.
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