Always Going Up

Every year it seems to be almost astonishing when you look at the NFL's increases in different categories across the board from revenue to ratings, the NFL has a product that becomes more and more desirable each and every year.

That was never more clear than Thursday night as the Seattle Seahawks opened up the defense of their title by hosting the Green Bay Packers on NBC.

According to the Associated Press and ESPN.com, viewership for the NFL's opener was up 7% from last year when the Broncos and Ravens opened up the 2013 season.

Those reports say 26.9 million people tuned on NBC Thursday night.

That game became the third highest viewed Thursday night kickoff game in its 13 year history of opening up on Thursday night.

Of course it isn't surprising. When people crave the NFL Draft as they do and flock to stadiums across this country even if the teams they are watching are mediocre at best sometimes.

Those three letters, N F L, for some reason spark a passion in Americans like no other and its one of the reasons, that passion, that drives rating spikes like we saw on Thursday.

** YOU CAN EMAIL JEFF THURN AT JT@ESPN991.COM AND FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @JTESPN991