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For all the concerns over the disappointing turnout for the NFL’s first-ever Black Friday game in 2023, Amazon Prime Video had already sold out all of its ad spots four months in advance. Advertisers quickly snapped up available inventory, paying up to $750,000 for each 30-second in-game commercial. And, based on seasonal trends, this hefty investment is expected to yield a solid return.
Although last year’s Black Friday debut didn’t meet Amazon’s audience expectations—the Dolphins’ 34-13 victory over the Jets attracted 9.61 million viewers, around 2.2 million fewer than the average Thursday Night Football (TNF) audience—it didn’t deter advertisers. This year’s Black Friday matchup features the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL’s most-watched team, who have averaged 24.2 million viewers in their eight national TV appearances.
If the defending Super Bowl champions (and arguably the most famous football fan, too) weren’t enough to drive a boost in viewership, Amazon’s year-over-year improvement in TNF numbers provides further optimism. Nielsen data shows TNF viewership has increased by 8%, with 13.3 million viewers tuning in on average. Since the season began in September, Amazon has attracted roughly 1 million more viewers per game than it did a year ago.
On top of that, Amazon offers an attractive e-commerce advantage. According to EDO data, viewers of last year’s Black Friday game were 78% more likely to search for advertised brands and products compared to those watching ads on other NFL Thanksgiving broadcasts. Amazon also pulls in a much younger audience, with the median age of its TNF viewers at 48.4 years, significantly younger than the NFL’s linear-TV average of 55.4 years, and much younger than the general broadcast primetime audience, which averages 63.
For this year’s Black Friday broadcast, media buyers reported ad rates between $650,000 and $750,000 per 30-second spot, with those securing earlier, larger commitments paying less. At the spring upfronts, advertisers paid an average of $565,000 for a 30-second unit on TNF, making it the third-most expensive primetime buy, behind only Sunday Night Football ($1 million+) and Monday Night Football ($665,000).
Although this year’s matchup might seem underwhelming on paper with the 2-9 Las Vegas Raiders facing off against the 10-1 Chiefs, the game could still deliver surprising drama. Kansas City has been winning games by an average margin of just 6.1 points, and their last encounter with the Raiders in late October nearly ended in an upset, with Patrick Mahomes’ interception putting the Chiefs’ lead in jeopardy before they held on for a 27-20 victory.
Moreover, Amazon benefits from a light competition schedule on Friday. Aside from a few lower-profile college football games, such as Stanford vs. San Jose State on CBS and the Egg Bowl rivalry on ABC, Amazon’s Black Friday broadcast faces little opposition. This, combined with the Chiefs’ strong appeal and Amazon’s interactive ad capabilities, should ensure a high return for advertisers.