2023 NFL broadcast survey results: CBS leapfrogs NBC for best game broadcast and more

This year represents the start of the NFL’s new broadcast deals with its partners, and there are a number of things that will impact you as a viewer, including a new Black Friday game (Nov. 24) on Amazon; two exclusive games on Peacock, including the first-ever streaming playoff game; flexible scheduling for “Monday Night Football” from Weeks 12-17 and “Thursday Night Football” from Weeks 13-17; and NFL Sunday Ticket now on YouTube, among other changes.

Of course, most of your attention when it comes to the intersection of the NFL and its broadcast partners will be on those who bring you the telecasts. We were curious about what you were interested in this season when it came to NFL broadcasts — your preferred pairings and networks, whether the NFL will be around 50 years from now, among other questions — and nearly 4,000 of you responded to our survey last month. We hope you find the results interesting, and thanks for weighing in.

Which lead national broadcast team are you most looking forward to watching this year?

The Nantz-Romo-Wolfson team once again topped the poll but did fall from last year (36.1 percent in 2022). The most interesting takeaway was Fox vaulting to the No. 2 spot versus last year (9.5 percent). Once people heard the team of Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Erin Andrews, they liked what they heard. That group had an excellent Super Bowl broadcast.

Which network do you prefer when it comes to game broadcasts?

CBS leaped over last year’s top choice (NBC) to come out ahead in what was a very tight category between three networks. ESPN saw a small increase from 5.6 percent of our vote in 2022.

Which network do you prefer when it comes to studio broadcasts?

Fox NFL Sunday, which debuted in 1994, continues to remain a popular destination when it comes to pregame studio shows. The network drew a near-similar number versus 2022 (31.2 percent) for this question. Once again, the NFL Network had a very strong result on the subject of studio programming. It ranked second last year with 19.9 percent of the vote.

How would you rate Amazon Prime’s “Thursday Night Football” coverage last year? (1 = Terrible; 5 = Fantastic)

Amazon’s executives would be pleased with these results as the network enters its second year of airing an exclusive prime-time “Thursday Night Football” package. Only 21 percent of the respondents rated the broadcast below average.

What current player or coach do you think would make the best broadcaster?

Readers of The Athletic think Rams coach Sean McVay will be a good broadcaster should he enter the profession — and that seems likely at some point. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce also drew good responses. Some write-ins of note included Eagles offensive lineman Jason Kelce (82 votes), Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel (15 votes) and Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (13 votes).

On a scale of 1 to 5, what grade do you give the ManningCast? (1 = It doesn’t add anything for me; 5 = It’s essential viewing)

Grading the ManningCast at a 4 once again topped our poll. (Last year, that slot drew 34 percent, so this year’s polling saw a slight decline.) The highest rating choice was down about 1 percent, and the lowest rating had a slight uptick (0.2 percent).

How much do the broadcasters matter to you while watching a game? (1 = Does not matter to me at all; 5 = Can make or break a game for me)

Networks don’t hire (and pay big money) to NFL broadcasters because they think they will add viewers — game matchups, by and large, determine viewership. But how you process games as a viewer is dependent on having skilled broadcasters. It was interesting to see this one change from last year. The No. 4 selection drew 36.5 percent of the vote, up from 30.6 last year, and moved ahead of No. 3 (31.7 percent last year) for most popular choice.

Will you purchase Sunday Ticket on YouTube?

Our results were very similar to last year when 78.9 percent of you told us you would not purchase Sunday Ticket. The “Yes” vote did pop up a tick.

Will Tom Brady be a good NFL analyst should he join Fox Sports for the 2024 NFL season?

The results here were pretty fascinating. It’s basically a dead heat on whether you think Brady will be good in the booth. In some ways, this could serve as an advantage for him in his debut year because the expectations won’t be sky-high (though interest will be).

What lead national NFL crew would you most want to have a beer with?

If The Athletic was a bar, you have told us that you’d like to sit next to the CBS and Fox crews for a cold one.

Peacock will exclusively live stream an NFL wild-card playoff game in prime time on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. How do you feel about that?

When it comes to NFL playoff games being available only on streaming, viewers are not happy. Only five percent said they loved it while the rest of our survey split between hating it and begrudging acceptance.

Should the point spread of the NFL game you are viewing always appear on screen?

Even with sports gambling becoming more prevalent, you overwhelmingly voted that you don’t want the point spread on the screen during the game. (It is true that such gambling information is readily available on any second screen.)

Will the NFL exist in 2073?

We were very curious about this question. By a very big percentage, you believe the NFL will still be playing 50 years from now. What the game looks like — A.I. kickers? — is anyone’s guess.

(Photo: Reed Hoffmann / AP)