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Peacock’s Pyrrhic NFL Victory

NBCU may be proudly boasting that 23 million people tuned into Peacock’s exclusive broadcast of the Chiefs-Dolphins playoff game. But sports fans aren’t always sticky streaming customers, and success is rooted in what happens after the game is over.

Taylor Swift celebrates with fans during the AFC Wild Card Playoffs between the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 13, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
NBCUniversal streamed last Saturday's NFL wild card game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins exclusively on Peacock, forcing fans of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift—and Mahomes and Tua and Andy Reid’s frozen mustache—to shell out an extra $5.99 a month Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Julia Alexander
January 17, 2024

As we all know, the most whiplash-inducing pivot in media history is currently playing out: After years of inactivity, legacy TV giants are steadfastly trying to nudge their audiences onto streaming platforms—without pissing them off or atrophying their still-profitable linear businesses. It’s a nearly impossible feat, but NBCUniversal gave it the ol’ college try last weekend by streaming the NFL wild card game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins exclusively on Peacock, forcing fans of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift—and Mahomes and Tua and Andy Reid’s frozen mustache—to shell out an extra $5.99 a month.