Against weak network competition and the NBA on cable, the Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers Sunday Night Football game on NBC did very well in the ratings. The game received a 12.6 rating with a 25 share.
The rating is down considerably from last year’s Week 16 game which was played on a Tuesday due to a blizzard in Philadelphia that postponed the contest 2 days.
Compared to past Christmas night games, last night’s broadcast was the highest rated since 1995 which received a 14.0/28 for ABC.
Locally, the highest rated market was Milwaukee with a 45.8 rating and am astounding 73 share meaning 73% of all TV sets in the city were tuned into the game. Amazing stuff.
Here’s the press release from NBC Sports.
BEARS-PACKERS CHRISTMAS NIGHT GAME ON “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” EARNS 12.6 OVERNIGHT RATING
Highest NFL Christmas Primetime Rating Since 1995
Milwaukee Leads Metered Markets With 45.8/73; Chicago is Second With 29.2/55
Sunday Night Football Is No. 1 Show of Primetime Television SeasonNEW YORK – December 26, 2011 – The Packers secured home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with their dominating 35-21 victory over the Bears at historic Lambeau Field on Christmas night on Sunday Night Football. Last night’s game earned a 12.6 overnight rating and a 25 share, according to overnight data released today by The Nielsen Company.
Bears-Packers produced the highest overnight rating for a game played on Christmas night since 1995 (Cowboys-Cardinals, 14.0/28 on ABC). The 12.6 for last night’s game is one percent higher than the last game played on Christmas night (Eagles-Cowboys, 12.5/29 on Christmas 2006 on NBC), and 19 percent higher than the Christmas night game in 2000 (Cowboys-Titans, 10.6/21 on ABC). Last year’s Week 16 game (Vikings-Eagles, 15.2/24) was an anomaly, played on a Tuesday night due to a snow postponement.
TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR BEARS-PACKERS:
1. Milwaukee, 45.8/73
2. Chicago, 29.2/55
3. New Orleans, 20.7/32
4. Las Vegas, 18.5/33
5. Minneapolis, 17.9/37
6. Nashville, 17.3/28
7. Albuquerque, 16.6/29
8. Greenville/Spartanburg, 15.5/25
9. Norfolk, 14.8/26
10. Richmond, 14.7/25SNF DOMINATES PRIMETIME: Through 15 weeks of the NFL season (15 Sundays and one Thursday), Sunday Night Football is averaging 21.0 million viewers, and a household rating of 12.7/20.
- For the primetime television season,* Sunday Night Football ranks as the most-watched (persons 2+) and highest-rated show, and the No. 1 program across the key demographics of Adults 18-49, 18-34, 25-54 as well as Men 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54, based on Nielsen live + same day data. Additionally, SNF is the No. 5 show among Women 18-34 and Women 18-49.
*NOTE: The primetime television season began on Sept. 19 and does not include the first three NBC primetime games (Thursday night NFL Kickoff Opener and first two SNF games).
**Viewership numbers will be available when national ratings are released Wednesday.**
That will do it for this post.
