Although only four games have been announced for the 2024 NFL regular season opening week slate, the Cleveland Browns’ Week 1 home contest against the Dallas Cowboys has the feel of a big-time game.
In fact, Browns insider Tony Grossi believes this game will be played in front of a monumental television audience.
ESPN Cleveland shared a video of “The Really Big Show” radio program Tuesday where Grossi claimed the Browns could showcase the team in front of a huge national audience.
“It’s gonna be the biggest audience of the first weekend,” Grossi said.
"It's gonna be the biggest audience of the first weekend," – @TonyGrossi on Browns vs. Cowboys.
How pumped are you for this game? pic.twitter.com/Nd29H3DIO5
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 14, 2024
The primary reason Cleveland will have such a large national audience is the time slot (4:25 p.m.) will have no competition for football fans.
CBS – the other broadcast partner for the NFL – will be airing the U.S. Open tennis tournament opposite this broadcast.
Grossi noted that the late-afternoon NFL game consistently gets the biggest audience of any NFL broadcast on Sunday, traditionally beating out the primetime matchup by several million viewers each week.
Further, FOX Sports announced that the game will serve as Tom Brady’s debut in the booth.
Casual fans of the NFL will tune in to dissect Brady’s performance much like the retired legendary quarterback did opposing defenses.
Finally, Grossi noted that the Dallas Cowboys draw a large national audience no matter the window as one of the most popular teams in the country.
With all these factors combined, Grossi believes the Dallas-Cleveland contest will be “the biggest home game of the year, right off the bat, for the Browns.”
NEXT: Oddsmakers Set Browns Week 1 Line Against Cowboys
