Fox Sports executives are doing backflips and somersaults down the hallways of its World Headquarters in Los Angeles. Well, maybe that’s a stretch, but they’re certainly happy over the start for the NFL. For the first two weeks, Fox is averaging a 12.8 rating with a 26 share and 21.8 million viewers, up 8% over last year which averaged an 11.8/24 and 19.6 million people watching. Fox says that’s its best start for an NFL season dating back to when it began airing games in 1994.
In Week 2, the NFL on Fox’s regional coverage averaged a 12.8/27 and 21.9 million viewers which was a 7% increase from last year’s Week 2 numbers.
Here’s the giddy NFL on Fox press blurb.
NFL ON FOX OFF TO BEST START EVER
The NFL on FOX posted a strong 12.8/27 household rating/share and 21.9 million viewers for a Week 2 single header schedule that featured the Redskins and Packers as the lead game, +7% over last year’s NFL on FOX single header (12.0/26, 19.9 million) and marks the second week in a row in which the NFL on FOX has posted a gain over the previous year. Sunday’s performance is particularly impressive considering that the early game between the Redskins and Packers was a one-sided, while the late game between the Saints and Buccaneers experienced a lengthy lightning delay. Sunday’s 12.8 national rating matched the metered market average reported Monday, marking a rare occurrence in which the national NFL rating did not decrease from the metered rating, which is the norm.
Season-to-date, the NFL on FOX is averaging a 12.8/26 and 21.8 million viewers, +8% over last year’s 11.8/24 and 19.6 million viewers, and ranks as the NFL on FOX’s best start ever.
FOX NFL SUNDAY, America’s No. 1 NFL pregame show, averaged a 3.3/9 and 5.1 million viewers on Sunday, +14% over last year’s Week 2 averages (2.9/8, 4.2 million viewers), and marks the second straight week in which the FOX NFL SUNDAY posted an increase over the previous year.
Season to date, FOX NFL SUNDAY is averaging a 3.3/9 and 5.1 million viewers, +6% over last year’s 3.1/8 and 4.7 million viewers.
Source: Nielsen Media Research
That’s all.
