How Many NFL Fans Are There?

While it is difficult to determine an exact amount of NFL fans worldwide, about half of all Americans, which is about 160 million people, say that they are fans of professional football, according to a poll done in 2014 by ESPN. Of the main sports leagues in the United States, the NFL is the most widely watched by a large margin, and the league’s revenue continues to grow.

The National Football League is a league of 32 professional American Football teams. During the season, which runs from Labor Day through Christmas, games are played on Thursday, Sunday, Monday and sometimes Saturday. Fans are able to attend games in person, or watch games live on national television.

Nearly half of all Americans, about 49 percent, said that they were fans of the NFL in a poll conducted by the Associated Press in 2014. This number, however, was actually smaller than the 56 percent figure that suggested they were fans in 2013. That being said, the NFL’s revenue went up over $9 billion in 2014 from the previous year, and the Super Bowl continues to be the most watched television program every year, far exceeding the number of viewers of other sports championships such as the MLB World Series or the NBA National Championship.