Dallas-Washington on Sunday Night Pulls Tremendous Numbers for NBC

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.

Sunday Night FootballCOWBOYS-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.

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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