Two Press Releases for Your Reading Pleasure

I received two particular press releases of interest in my inbox today. Neither have anything to do with one another, this is just one way for me to clear out some of my e-mail and also provide you with some information.

First, NBC says last Sunday’s Cowboys-Packers game was the second most watched game since NBC got the rights to Sunday Night Football.

COWBOYS-PACKERS IS SECOND MOST VIEWED “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” GAME IN HISTORY

“NBC Sunday Night Football” No. 1 Show For 3rd Consecutive Week Easily Defeating the Primetime Emmy Awards by 80 Percent

22.2 Million Viewers, 13.3/21 Rating Show Significant Year-to-Year Gains


NEW YORK – September 23, 2008 - The Dallas Cowboys 27-16 victory over the Green Bay Packers on "NBC Sunday Night Football," drew 22.2 million viewers and stands as the second most watched Sunday Night game in NBC's two-plus year history of SNF, trailing only the much-hyped "Manning Bowl" on the first Sunday of the 2006 season (22.6 million), according to data provided by Nielsen Media Research.

Sunday night's 22.2 million viewers represents a 17 percent gain over the comparable week in 2007 (Cowboys-Bears, 19.0 million on 9/23/07) and posted a household rating of 13.3 and a 21 share, a gain of 13 percent over the Cowboys-Bears game (11.8/19).

"Sunday Night Football" easily won the night defeating the Primetime Emmy Awards broadcast on ABC by 80 percent in viewers (22.2 million to 12.3 million) and 62 percent among households (13.3/21 vs. 8.2/13). SNF ranks No. 1 among primetime programs for the week of September 15-21 among households, average viewers and other key ratings categories, marking the third consecutive week SNF has ranked No. 1.

MOST WATCHED GAMES IN SNF HISTORY:
1) Colts-Giants, 9/7/06, 22.6 million
2) Cowboys-Packers, 9/21/08, 22.2 million
3) Colts-Patriots, 11/5/06, 21.9 million
4) Eagles-Patriots, 11/25/07, 21.8 million
5) Saints-Cowboys, 12/10/06, 19.9 million

And HBO’s World Championship Boxing returns this Saturday as Sugar Shane Mosley takes on Ricardo Mayorga in a Jr. Middleweight fight.

HBO SPORTS SHOWCASES WORLD-CLASS FIGHTERS WHEN

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®: SHANE MOSLEY VS. RICARDO MAYORGA

AND ANDRE BERTO VS. STEVE FORBES

IS SEEN LIVE SATURDAY, SEPT. 27 ON HBO

Sparks will fly when HBO Sports spotlights world-class performers on WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: SHANE MOSLEY VS. RICARDO MAYORGA AND ANDRE BERTO VS. STEVE FORBES, presented live SATURDAY, SEPT. 27 (10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT) from The Home Depot Center in Carson, Cal., exclusively on HBO. The WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING team will be ringside for the event, which will be presented in HDTV and in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Expect a September heat wave when former lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley (44-5, 37 KOs) stands toe-to-toe with Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga (28-6-1, 22 KOs), one of boxing’s most animated fighters, in a 12-round junior middleweight bout. In his first fight in Southern California since 2000, Pomona, Cal., native Mosley returns to the ring in search of another title shot. A native of Managua, Nicaragua, Mayorga hasn’t fought since handling Fernando Vargas last November. He’s never ducked a challenge, having tangled with Vernon Forrest, Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya.

In the opening bout, newly crowned welterweight titleholder Andre Berto (22-0, 19 KOs) defends his belt against crafty veteran Steve Forbes (33-6, 9 KOs) in a 12-round, 147-pound tilt. Florida native Berto captured his first title by defeating never-before KO’d Miki Rodriguez in June, scoring his 19th knockout in just 22 fights. Las Vegas resident Forbes is a formidable contender who elevated his status significantly last May when he went the distance against Oscar De La Hoya.

Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Emanuel Steward will have the call this Saturday. Keeping Max Kellerman off my TV is a very good thing.

So there you have it. Ratings news on Sunday Night Football and the latest on HBO’s World Championship Boxing. I read the press releases so you don’t have to.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013. He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television. Fang celebrates the three Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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