Sports are integral to the culture  when it comes to the state of Iowa. From women’s basketball to men’s football, sports are hugely popular to not only play but also watch. Of course, this more widely reflects the important role sports play in US society and how popular the top pro sporting leagues are.

Nowhere was this more evident recently than reports in the press which showed the NFL going head-to-head with the iconic Emmy Awards and coming out on top. This represented a real coup for pro football and the NFL in particular. It was also a worrying sign for the Emmys and may suggest that interest in this prestigious entertainment event is waning.

NFL playoff game too much for the Emmys to handle

The 2023 Emmys brought together the best actors and writers in prime-time American TV for recognition. The only problem for organizers was that the timing of the ceremony left them in direct competition for viewers with the NFL Wild Card game between the Tampa Buccaneers and the Philadelphia Eagles on the same night!

This was the first time the Emmys competed directly against an NFL Playoff match, and it is clear they lost. The NFL game attracted around 28 million viewers in total to surpass the Emmys, which only drew an audience of around 4.3 million.

Sports betting key to NFL’s triumph over Emmys

One major reason for this was the love people have for betting on big NFL games and the huge audience that tuned into the playoff match to see how their bet turned out. As legal sports betting is available in many states now, this helped the NFL draw a massive audience and come out on top against the Emmys.

From people who wagered via the best Iowa betting sites to those who placed bets in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, the popularity of sports betting explains why so many people chose the NFL over the Emmys.

Other reasons the NFL game was more popular than the Emmys

Watching a playoff game in the NFL is usually a lot more exciting than watching an awards shows like the Emmys. Big pro football matches contain fast-paced action, lots of drama and are a real feast for the senses. This was certainly true when you look at any post-match analysis of Tampa vs Philadelphia and take in what a fascinating spectacle it was. The Emmys on the other hand is a far more sedate affair by comparison and isn’t known for the same sort of full-on action.

Another reason why the NFL came out on top against the Emmys recently is that far more people truly care about big games in football than they do about a certain TV show or actor getting an award. This is even more true when major football games include people from a certain state or college which locals like to watch in action. There were a number of Hawkeyes who played in the latest Wild Card Weekend matches for example and this meant people in Iowa were far more likely to watch these games than something like the Emmys.

Is this a worrying sign for the Emmys?

In retrospect, it is clear that trying to take on the NFL was a huge mistake for Emmy organizers and too big a challenge. Low viewing figures though are nothing new for this ceremony and stats show their audience has been gradually declining.

In 2021 for example, viewing figures stood at around 7.9 million, but this fell to just under 6 million by 2022. With 2023’s audience figures showing another drop, it seems that it is not just the popularity of the NFL which Emmy organizers need to consider for coming years.

NFL playoff match steamrolls Emmys

In some ways, you could say the Emmys awards show was also a little unlucky with the NFL Playoff game they ended up battling against. A 32-9 win for Tampa over Philadelphia hints at what a fabulous match this was to tune into and led to people who might have started watching the Emmys quickly changing plans to watch the NFL game.

This is no consolation to those behind the awards ceremony, who would have been keen to pick up improved viewing figures to plan 2024’s event with. For the NFL, this story clearly demonstrates that it remains a top sport in US culture and one pro league that can easily compete against top-name events from other sectors.