Amazon disclosed the season-ending viewership numbers for its 11-game Thursday Night Football NFL package and claimed victory over Twitter by average-minute audience.
The numbers that Amazon provided to SportTechie indicated that the AMA tuning into NFL action on Prime Video for at least 30 seconds was more than 310,000, a number said to be 17 percent higher than Twitter during the 2016 season. An analysis by MarketingLand pegged Twitter’s AMA at 265,800.
Whether Amazon truly outperformed Twitter in reaching a live-streaming audience, however, is not clear because the two tech giants have not reported apples-to-apples metrics.
Amazon used the 30-second AMA increment because, a spokesman said, that data point was most comparable to average television ratings and thus more similar to the traditional Nielsen numbers. With regard to total reach — i.e. the total number of viewers to tune in for any length of time — Amazon said its peak was the two million fans who caught part of the Dec. 7 New Orleans Saints-at-Atlanta Falcons live broadcast, a closely played game not decided until the final two minutes.
Twitter, on the other hand, reported to its shareholders that it drew an average of 3.5 million unique viewers for its 10-game NFL package, although the social media site used the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) standard of having at least 50 percent of the broadcast in view for a minimum of two seconds.
A further differentiating point is that, before its third game broadcast, Twitter included an auto-play feature for its video stream whereas Amazon Prime Video viewers had to seek out the content and click “play.” Prime Video also requires a paid membership, whereas Twitter accounts are freely available.
When asked about the metrics Amazon reported on Thursday, a Twitter spokesman declined comment.
Amazon supplanted Twitter as the NFL’s streaming partner for Thursday Night Football after making a $50-million outlay that was five times what Twitter paid for a comparable package in its first year of availability. (Both streamed 10 Thursday night games, but Amazon had an 11th matchup, on Christmas day.)
Among the viewers who watched at least 30 seconds of an NFL game on Amazon, those viewers logged an average of 63 minutes. The company reported a total consumption among all viewers at 750 million minutes, or 12.5 million hours, across a total reach of 18.4 million Prime subscribers in 224 countries and territories. Within the U.S., on a per capita basis, D.C. accounted for the the most NFL viewing on Amazon, with Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Utah next in line.
At its kickoff event in September, Amazon emphasized the global reach of its NFL feed. In international markets, Mexico accounted for the most total viewers of any country; residents of Germany streamed the most minutes; and football fans in the Republic of Chad notched the longest average viewership time, followed by the Ivory Coast and Swaziland.
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While, not surprisingly, the NFL teams with the most merchandise purchased on Amazon were the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots, there were a few other interesting revelations: Prime subscribers who watched NFL coverage were 41 percent more likely to buy a Crock-Pot on Amazon, likely due to their tailgating needs.
The top-selling team-specific goods, by category, were:
- Footwear: Dallas Cowboys Men’s Team Logo Moccasin Slippers
- Hardgoods: Dallas Cowboys Metallic Travel Tumbler, Stainless Steel and Black Vinyl, 16-Ounce
- Headwear: New England Patriots New Era 2017 On-Field Sport Knit Beanie Hat
- Baby: Philadelphia Eagles Boys Bodysuit Bib & Cap Set, 3-6 Months, Green
- Jerseys: Franklin Sports New England Patriots Deluxe Youth Uniform Set, Medium
- Accessories: Green Bay Packers Marque Printed Fleece Throw
- Outwear: Dallas Cowboys Champion Tech Fleece Hoodie, X-Large, Heather Grey
- Pants: Oakland Raiders Men’s Active Basic Fleece Sweatpants, Large, Black
- Shirts: Pittsburgh Steelers Men’s Long Sleeve Crew Neck Fleece Tee, X-Large, Black
- Sweaters: Philadelphia Eagles Busy Block Ugly Sweater Extra Large