Streaming services nearly equal linear TV viewership

In February 2025, the divide between traditional TV and streaming showed a significant shift. New data indicates that streaming nearly matched linear TV in audience share. Broadcast TV accounted for 21.2 percent of viewing, and cable reached 23.2 percent. Combined, these made up 44.4 percent. Remarkably, streaming was very close with 43.5 percent. This change comes despite the Super Bowl attracting over 127 million viewers. This huge event still highlights the strength of broadcast TV. However, as the 2024 football seasons ended, many viewers switched to streaming services instead of traditional cable or broadcast. Broadcast TV still plays an important role, especially for live sports like the NFL. It remains the best way to reach large audiences for such events. Future NFL broadcasting contracts are expected to include more streaming options as the trend continues to evolve.