NFL announces 2024 season-opening matchup between Chiefs, Ravens

Leading up to the full schedule release on Wednesday, the NFL announced the matchup on Monday for the 2024 season opener. The Super Bowl LVIII-winning Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of the 2023 AFC title game. Another highly-anticipated NFL season begins on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. The NFL is unveiling the entire 2024 schedule at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday on NFL Network.

The Ravens are 1-3 against the Chiefs with quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes under center. Last time the Chiefs and Ravens were face-to-face, Kansas City won 17-10 and advanced to the championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.

As the Super Bowl LVII winners, the Chiefs also opened the 2023 season. The Detroit Lions stunned them at home, giving them their first of six losses in the 21-20 matchup. Uncharacteristically, with plenty of time left on the clock, Mahomes threw four incompletions and the offense took two penalties before giving the ball back to Detroit to run down the clock with two minutes remaining.

NFL’s 2023 season boasted best average viewership since 2015

The 2023 season lived up to the hype after the season opener. From the Lions going on a run to break the league’s longest-ever postseason losing streak to Taylor Swift becoming the Chiefs’ No. 1 fan, it was must-watch, appointment TV from week to week.

According to Austin Karp of The Sports Business Journal, the league accomplished its highest average viewership for games since 2015. Regular season games were up 7% for an average of 17.9 million viewers this season while holiday and postseason games broke records.

“The NFL for the 2023 regular season had its best average viewership for games since 2015 — and tied with 2010 for the second-best season on record,” Karp wrote. “Regular-season games averaged 17.9 million viewers this season, up 7% from last year, and the best figure since the league averaged 18.1 million in 2015 (the all-time record).”

The NFL had gains in all key demographics, including its best female viewership on record (dating back to 2000). Among adults 18-34, the league had its best season since 2019. Male viewership was up 6% and female viewership was up 9%.