The Determinants of NFL Viewership: Evidence from Nielsen Ratings

Colorado College Economics and Business Working Paper No. 2004-02

22 Pages Posted: 1 Nov 2004

See all articles by Shannon Carney

Shannon Carney

Colorado College - Department of Economics and Business

Aju J. Fenn

Colorado College - Department of Economics and Business

Date Written: October 2004

Abstract

Television ratings provide a measure of the number of viewers for every NFL football game, however these ratings do not reveal the viewers' motivation for watching the game. Using Nielsen ratings for locally televised NFL football games, this study investigates the determinants of NFL viewership. Data are compiled for 496 NFL games during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. The results suggest evidence of race, team success, and the closeness of the contest as significant determinants of NFL viewership.

Keywords: Sports, NFL, Nielsen, television

JEL Classification: D12

Suggested Citation

Carney, Shannon and Fenn, Aju J., The Determinants of NFL Viewership: Evidence from Nielsen Ratings (October 2004). Colorado College Economics and Business Working Paper No. 2004-02, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=611721 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.611721

Shannon Carney

Colorado College - Department of Economics and Business ( email )

14 E Cache La Poudre Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
United States

Aju J. Fenn (Contact Author)

Colorado College - Department of Economics and Business ( email )

14 E Cache La Poudre Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
United States
719-389-6407 (Phone)
719-389-6927 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.coloradocollege.edu/dept/EC