NFL Games 19% More Effective in Regular Season, While Streaming Matchups Continue to Deliver

Restaurant, Luxury Auto, and Finance brands see consumer engagement lifts with NFL media investments, as streaming-exclusive NFL games deliver 66% stronger ad effectiveness than the TV average

EDO has released the third annual NFL TV Outcomes Report, analyzing every national TV ad that aired across the 2024–25 NFL season to reveal what creative strategies, categories, and media environments delivered the strongest consumer response.

"In conversations with CMOs and media directors, I've arrived at an undeniable conclusion: the NFL remains the ultimate platform for brand engagement at scale,” said Laura Grover, SVP, Head of Client Solutions, EDO. “For brands seeking measurable TV outcomes, no other media property comes close.”

The report opens with a letter from Gina Reduto, EVP, Strategy, Advertising & Partnerships at NBCUniversal, highlighting how the NFL’s unparalleled audience scale and evolving viewing formats present new opportunities for brands.

"At NBCUniversal, we’re proud to bring marketers the most premium media environment in sports, and we believe in supporting that value with outcomes," said Reduto. "The annual EDO NFL TV Outcomes Report … is packed with actionable insights based on standout brands, creatives, and categories — and a must-read ahead of this season’s NFL Kickoff on September 4, 2025, on NBC and Peacock."

EDO’s report proves the NFL remains unmatched on TV in driving immediate consumer engagement, such as branded search to site visits, with key findings including:

1. The NFL Remains Convergent TV’s Crown Jewel. Advertisers would need to air about 23 ads on TV to generate the same impact as one ad during the 2024 regular season. NFL ads were 19% more effective than the TV average during the regular season, 63% more effective in the playoffs, and 243% more effective during the Super Bowl. Per EDO estimates, the NFL generates an estimated $5.2B per year in national TV advertising.
2. Streaming NFL Games Deliver Powerful Engagement. Streaming-exclusive NFL games delivered 66% stronger ad effectiveness than the broadcast and cable TV average. Amazon’s Black Friday game, Peacock’s Week 1 Brazil broadcast, and Netflix’s Christmas slate all overperformed.
3. Restaurants, Lux Auto, and Finance Brands Win Big. NFL ads were especially effective for Restaurants (+69% vs. TV average), Luxury Auto (+42%), and Finance (+27%) during the regular season. Solo Stove was the most effective advertiser of the season, outperforming the league average by a staggering +1,403%.
4. NFL Stars Drive TV Outcomes for Brand Partners. Ads featuring NFL players were 13% more likely to generate engagement. Davante Adams’ Taco Bell ads outperformed the average NFL ad by +124%, while Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce delivered standout results for State Farm and Subway.

The report also covers Super Bowl LIX performance, regional and demographic engagement trends, and the top-performing categories of last season.

Explore the insights in EDO’s 2024-25 NFL TV Outcomes Report, and follow along throughout the 2025–26 season as we track the most engaging NFL ads at EDO.com/nfl-ads.