The NFL’s strategy of putting a winner-take-all game on the last Sunday night of the regular season is a successful one. Last night’s Dallas-Washington game for the NFC East title turned out to be the highest-rated primetime game in the history of NBC’s Sunday night package. It’s also the highest-rated primetime game on any network over the last 15 years.
It drew an amazing 18.3 overnight rating with a 30 share which is 7% higher than last year’s Week 17 game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys also was a winner-take-all game for the NFC East.
For NBC, it’s the highest-rated game of the season outpacing the Week 1 contest between Pittsburgh and Denver which had an 18.0/29.
In addition, Washington, DC had its highest overnight rating ever for a primetime game dating back to 1987. Richmond, Norfolk and Dallas round up the top four local markets for the game.
Here’s the NBC announcement.
COWBOYS-REDSKINS SCORES BEST-EVER OVERNIGHT FOR NFL REGULAR-SEASON PRIMETIME GAME ON NBC
18.3/30 Tops ALL Sunday Night Football Broadcasts Plus All Other NBC Primetime NFL Games
Best NFL Regular-Season Primetime Overnight on ANY Network in 15 Years
Best Overnight for any Cowboys-Redskins Primetime Matchup in 19 Years
Washington D.C. Market Drew 44.6/68 Rating, Best Ever for NFL Regular-Season Primetime Game (Since Nielsen People Meters in 1987)NEW YORK – December 31, 2012 – Last night’s Cowboys-Redskins game on Sunday Night Football is the highest-rated NFL regular-season primetime game ever on NBC, and the highest-rated NFL regular-season primetime game on ANY network in 15 years, according to overnight data released today by The Nielsen Company. The game also generated the best overnight rating for any Cowboys-Redskins primetime matchup in 19 years. The Washington D.C. market had its best rating ever for a primetime NFL game.
Sunday’s game on NBC, in which the Redskins defeated the Cowboys, 28-18, to win the NFC East, drew an 18.3 overnight rating and a 30 share, seven percent higher than last year’s Week 17 game (Cowboys-Giants 17.1/27), which was also a win-and-in game to determine the winner of the NFC East. Last night’s game topped the previous-best NFL regular-season primetime overnight on NBC (18.0/29 for the 2012 Week 1 matchup between the Steelers and Broncos).
Other Ratings Notes:
- The Washington D.C market has its best overnight rating (44.6/68) for a regular-season primetime game in the history of Nielsen People Meters (since 1987), topping the previous high of 43.0/63 for Cowboys-Redskins, Sept. 6, 1993 on ABC).
- Best overnight rating for any regular-season primetime game on ANY network in 15 years (Broncos-49ers, 19.3/30, Dec. 15, 1997 on ABC).
- Best overnight rating for an NFL primetime regular-season final game in 18 years (19.6/33 for 49ers-Vikings, Dec. 26, 1994 on ABC).
- Best overnight for a Cowboys-Redskins primetime matchup in 19 years (20.7/34 on Sept 6, 1993 on ABC).
NOTE: Official national ratings and viewership will be available on Thursday.
BEST OVERNIGHT NFL REGULAR-SEASON PRIMETIME GAMES ON NBC:
1. 18.3/30
Cowboys-Redskins, 12/30/12
2. 18.0/29
Steelers- Broncos, 9/9/12
3. 17.7/28
Vikings-Saints, 9/9/10*
4. 17.2/28
Saints-Packers, 9/8/11*
5. 17.1/27
Cowboys-Giants, 1/1/12
6. 16.9/27
Cowboys-Jets, 9/11/11
T7. 16.5/27
Giants-Cowboys, 9/20/09
T7. 16.5/26
Cowboys-Giants, 9/5/12
T7. 16.5/25
Eagles-Cowboys, 12/12/10
10. 16.4/26
Cowboys-Redskins, 9/12/10
* NFL Kickoff Games
TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR COWBOYS-REDSKINS:
1. Washington D.C.
44.6/68
2. Richmond
42.8/60
3. Norfolk
37.1/53
4. Dallas
36.9/55
T5. San Antonio
28.4/44
T5. Austin
28.4/48
7. Albuquerque
27.6/41
8. Baltimore
23.9/35
T9. Greensboro
23.6/35
T9. New Orleans
23.6/32
That’s it for this post.
