The Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers game on Christmas Night got a big viewership. NBC says the game received an average of 24 million viewers. Against weak competition on the other broadcast networks and the NBA on ESPN, Sunday Night Football dominated the 18-49 demographic with a 7.7 rating and a 23 share. Overall, the rating was 12.7 with a 24 share. The rating is down from last year’s Week 16 game between Minnesota and Philadelphia that was played on a Tuesday due to a two day snow delay.
Football Night in America saw one of its biggest audiences with an average viewership of over 14.7 million viewership in the 8 p.m. half-hour leading up to the game. In fact, it was the 2nd most watched program of the night after the Bears-Packers game.
So we have this press release from NBC regarding the Christmas Night broadcast.
24.0 MILLION WATCHED BEARS-PACKERS; MOST-WATCHED NFL CHRISTMAS PRIMETIME GAME SINCE 1995
Sunday Night Football is Most-Watched and Highest-Rated Show of Primetime Television Season
The Bears-Packers game on Sunday Night Football was seen by 24.0 million viewers, the most for an NFL game played on Christmas night since 1995 (Cowboys-Cardinals, 25.4 million on ABC). The 24.0 million for Sunday’s game is three percent higher than the last game played on Christmas night (Eagles-Cowboys, 23.4 million on Christmas 2006 on NBC), and 39 percent higher than the Christmas night game in 2000 (Cowboys-Titans, 17.3 million on ABC).
Additionally, the Christmas night game is the third most-watched SNF game this season, the eighth most-watched game in the six-year history of NBC Sunday Night Football and one percent higher than last year’s Week 16 game (Vikings-Eagles, 23.7 million), which was played on a Tuesday night due to a snow postponement.
MOST WATCHED “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” GAMES:
*Sundays Only1. 25.8 million, Cowboys-Jets, 9/11/11 (2011 SNF Week 1)
2. 25.73 million, Eagles-Cowboys, 12/12/10 (2010 SNF Week 14)
3. 25.68 million, Vikings-Packers, 10/24/10, (Favre Return to Lambeau II)
4. 25.3 million, Cowboys-Redskins, 9/12/10 (2010 SNF: Week 1)
5. 24.8 million, Giants-Cowboys, 9/20/09 (Dallas Cowboys Stadium Debut)
6. 24.5 million, Giants-Cowboys, 12/11/11 (2011 SNF Week 14)
7. 24.2 million, Packers-Patriots, 12/19/10 (2010 SNF Week 15)
8. 24.0 million, Bears-Packers, 12/25/11 (2011 Christmas Night Game)
9. 23.7 million, Vikings-Eagles, 12/28/10 (2010 SNF Week 16 – Tuesday Game)
10. 23.4 million, Eagles-Falcons, 9/18/11 (2011 SNF Week 2)*9/9/10, Vikings-Saints, 27.5 million (2010 Thursday Night Opener)
*9/8/11, Saints-Packers, 27.2 million (2011 Thursday Night Opener)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, 14.7/25SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL DOMINATES PRIMETIME
Through 16 weeks of the NFL season (16 Sundays and one Thursday), Sunday Night Football is averaging 21.2 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. 4 show among both 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).
- The critically acclaimed Football Night in America is the most-watched and highest-rated NFL pregame show averaging 8.7 million viewers and a household rating of 5.3/9 (7:30-8:15 p.m. ET) through 16 weeks, both up six percent from last season and the most in the six-year history of Football Night.
That will do it.
