If there’s any reason to pick on the networks airing an NFL preseason game, we can now stop trying to find one because of the audience for the NFL Hall of Fame Game that aired on Sunday. Last season, the
game was on NFL Network as NBC had the Olympics. And the season before that, the game fell victim to the NFL Lockout, so this marked the first time it aired on NBC since 2010.
NBC saw an average audience of 10.1 million viewers for the game which pitted the Dallas Cowboys against the Miami Dolphins live from Canton, OH.
The rating for 18-49 was a 3.8 which beat the MLB All-Star Game on Fox in July which received a 3.2. Overall, the game received a 6.2 HH rating.
Here’s the NBC press release.
10.1 MILLION WATCH NFL/HALL OF FAME GAME AS NBC WINS NIGHT IN PRIMETIME
Cowboys-Dolphins Telecast Posts Best Primetime Rating in Adults 18-49 Demo Since NBA Finals
STAMFORD, Conn. – August 6, 2013 – The Cowboys-Dolphins NFL/Hall of Fame game averaged 10.1 million viewers, leading NBC to a primetime victory for the night, according to official national ratings released today by The Nielsen Company.
In addition, NBC’s telecast of the first game of the NFL preseason scored the highest rating in the Adults 18-49 demo (3.8) for any primetime telecast on any night on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox since Game 7 of the NBA Finals on June 20 (10.6). Sunday’s NFL preseason telecast was also #1 for the week in Adults 18-34, Adults 25-54 and all key Adult-Male demos.
The 10.1 million viewers for Cowboys –Dolphins is the most for an NFL preseason game in two years, since Chargers-Cowboys on NBC (10.7 million, August 21, 2011).
NBC’s second preseason game will air on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. ET and features Colin Kaepernick and the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers hosting the Minnesota Vikings, with 2,000-yard rusher Adrian Peterson.
Top 10 Metered Markets for Cowboys-Dolphins:
1. Dallas, 17.0/30
2. New Orleans, 15.1/2
3. Austin, 12.2/21
4. San Antonio, 11.5/19
5. Miami, 11.3/17
6. Norfolk, 11.0/16
7. Charlotte, 10.8/18
8. Oklahoma City, 10.8/17
9. Albuquerque, 9.9/16
10. Richmond, 9.6/15
That’s all.
