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According to NBC, last night’s Minnesota-Green Bay garnered the best overnight ratings for an October primetime game on network TV in 12 years. And last night’s overnight ended at 16.0 with a 25 share. In addition, the home markets of Minneapolis-St. Paul and Milwaukee got over a 50.0 rating which means over half of the respective markets was watching football. Overall, the ratings were 54% higher than last year’s Week 7 game.

This is quite impressive. Here’s the press release.

“SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL”, BEST OVERNIGHT FOR OCTOBER NFL PRIMETIME GAME IN 12 YEARS

Third-Best SNF Overnight Ever; Up 54% vs. Last Year’s Week 7 Game

SNF is No. 1 Show for 7^th Straight Sunday Night

Milwaukee Leads All Markets With 53.1/68 Rating; Minneapolis Second at 51.5/68

NEW YORK – October 25, 2010 – Last night’s “Sunday Night Football” game generated the best overnight rating for an October NFL primetime game in 12 years, the third-best SNF overnight ever and was the No. 1 program on Sunday night for the seventh consecutive week as it registered an overnight rating up 54 percent vs. last year’s Week 7 game, according to overnight data released today by The Nielsen Company.

“Sunday Night Football,” featuring Vikings QB Brett Favre returning to Green Bay in a 28-24 loss, earned a 16.0 overnight rating and 25 share (from 8:30-11:30 p.m. ET).

• The 16.0/25 overnight is the best for an October NFL primetime game since, coincidentally, Minnesota-Green Bay on 10/5/98 (17.5/26 on ABC).

• Last night’s game was 54 percent higher than last year’s Week 7 SNF game (Cardinals-Giants, 10.4/16), and was up 122 percent from 2008’s Week 7 game (Seahawks-Buccaneers, 7.2/11).

• The rating peaked at a 17.0/29 from 11-11:30 p.m. ET with the game still in doubt in its final moments. The game also produced a 17.0/25 rating from 9:30-10 p.m. ET as the first half was concluding.

• Three NBC games this season, including this year’s Thursday night opener, rank among the top four NBC primetime games ever, and four of the top six. Ten SNF games remain in 2010.

• When the viewership is available tomorrow from Nielsen, “Sunday Night Football” is expected to be the most-watched Sunday night show for the seventh consecutive week. Last season, SNF was the most-watched Sunday night primetime broadcast in a record 15 of 16 (94 percent) weeks. In 2008, SNF won 13 of 16 (81 percent) Sunday nights after winning 11 of 16 in 2007 (69 percent) and nine of 16 in 2006 (56 percent).

“SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” TOP 10 OVERNIGHT RATING/SHARE:

1. 9/20/09, Giants-Cowboys, 16.5/27 (Dallas Cowboys Stadium Debut)

2. 9/12/10, Cowboys-Redskins, 16.4/26 (Week 1 – 2010)

3. 10/24/10, Vikings-Packers, 16.0/25 (Favre Returns to Lambeau II)
4. 11/25/07, Eagles-Patriots, 15.6/24

5. 12/14/08, Giants-Cowboys, 15.4/24

6. 9/19/10, Giants-Colts, 15.2/24 (“Manning Bowl II”)

T7. 11/15/09, Patriots-Colts, 15.1/24

T7. 11/5/06, Colts-Patriots, 15.1/22

9. 9/10/06, Colts-Giants, 14.7/23 (Original “Manning Bowl”)

10. 9/21/08, Cowboys-Packers, 14.4/22

*The NFL Kickoff Opener on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010 between the Vikings and Saints generated an overnight rating/share of 17.7/28.

DOMINATED ORIGINAL COMPETITION: Last night’s “Sunday Night Football” broadcast dominated against original programs including ABC’s Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters, CBS’s 60 Minutes, Amazing Race, Undercover Boss and CSI Miami.

TOP METERED MARKETS FOR VIKINGS-PACKERS:
1. Milwaukee, 53.1/68

2. Minneapolis, 51.5/68

3. Las Vegas, 23.5/35

4. New Orleans, 21.5/29

5. Norfolk, 21.4/31

6. Kansas City, 20.4/29

T7. Phoenix, 19.0/32

T7. Nashville, 19.0/26

9. Chicago, 18.7/28

10. Oklahoma City, 18.5/26

This is truly amazing.

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