Viewers Poured In To Watch Chiefs, Raiders Black Friday Game
People treated their Thanksgiving hangovers with NFL football.
The Kansas City Chiefs versus Las Vegas Raiders game on Black Friday proved to be a successful move for the NFL as the audience's appetite for football grew.
Everyone tuned in to watch the Chiefs nab a miraculous win against the two-win Raiders, 19-17.
On paper, the matchup between the Chiefs and Raiders appeared less exciting than expected, but Las Vegas raised the stakes and pushed Kansas City to a thrilling game.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 29: Aidan O'Connell #12 of the Las Vegas Raiders congratulates Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 29, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Last season, the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets averaged 9.61 million viewers.
In 2024, the Chiefs and Raiders game attracted an impressive average of 13.51 million viewers, relayed PFT, which was a huge bump.
The Black Friday contest between the Chiefs and Raiders brought in a 41 percent increase in viewership compared to 2023. Americans all over discussed that dramatic ending. And yes, Taylor Swift made an appearance.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 29: Singer Taylor Swift cheers during the first half of the game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 29, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Patrick Mahomes' 11-1 Chiefs continue to be box office this season. Mahomes' sole loss of the season to the Buffalo Bills attracted massive TV ratings for the NFL, averaging over 30 million viewers. The Chiefs lost, 30-21, to Mahomes' nemesis, the newly engaged Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
It's also worth noting that the game was unusually early, with kickoff starting around 3 p.m. (ET).
Although the sales may have been disappointing this Black Friday, thankfully, NFL action was there to lift us all up.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass in the third quarter under heavy defensive pressure from the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Emily Curiel/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 29: K'Lavon Chaisson #44 of the Las Vegas Raiders sacks Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter in the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 29, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
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