The Arena
Art by Clark MillerWhy the NFL and Nielsen Are Beefing as Sports Streaming Surges
Counting the size of television audiences should be easier than ever with the spread of streaming. But a clash between the NFL and Nielsen shows the reality is more complicated.
The NFL, the world’s richest and most powerful sports league, would like you to know something: It is not thrilled with the way Nielsen measures its TV audience.
Earlier this week, the NFL took the extraordinary step of criticizing media measurement firm Nielsen, which the football giant argued is undercounting the number of viewers for its games by millions of people. While plenty of television broadcasters have groused about Nielsen in the past, it was the first time a big sports league has gone after the longtime standard-bearer of television ratings.