In this day of MLB announcements, we get this press release from NBC Sports in regards the ratings for Sunday Night Football. Let’s say this. The numbers are quite good.
NBC says it received a 14.1 final rating with a 22 share for the New York Giants-Philadelphia Eagles game that went down right to the wire. The Peacock says that’s a whopping 23% from last year’s Week 4 game between the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens.
Average viewership was 22.8 million viewers which was up 22% from last year. NBC and the NFL says that’s the best viewership for a Week 4 primetime game on network television dating back to Monday Night Football on ABC.
NBC points out that this the first time in the history of its Sunday Night Football series that the first five games of the season have averaged over 21 million viewers and that is quite impressive.
Here’s the press release from NBC Sports.
“SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” ON NBC OFF TO BEST START IN ITS 7-YEAR HISTORY
23.3 Million Viewers Through 4 Weeks is Best in SNF History and Most-Watched Start to a Primetime Package in 16 Years
Sunday Night Football is No. 1 Primetime Program of Premiere Week
Giants-Eagles Draws 22.8 Million Viewers, Best for an NFL Week 4 Primetime Game Since 1996
For the first time in NBC’s 7-year SNF history, each of its First 5 Games Have Drawn More Than 21 million viewers
Viewership and National Rating Both Up From Last Year’s Week 4 SNF GameNEW YORK – October 2, 2012 – NBC’s five-game average viewership of 23.3 million is best start in the seven-year history of Sunday Night Football, and the most-watched start to a season for a primetime package in 16 years (24.0 million for ABC in 1996).
- The four-week average household rating of 14.2/23 for five games is also the best start in the seven-year history of Sunday Night Football, and the best start to a season for a primetime package in 13 years (14.6/25 in 1999 on ABC).
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL THROUGH 4 WEEKS:
YEAR
Viewers 2+ HH Rating
2012
23.3 million, 14.2/23
2011
23.2 million, 13.9/22
2010
22.9 million, 13.7/23
2009
20.8 million, 12.6/21
2008
17.8 million, 10.9/18
2007
17.1 million, 10.9/18
2006
18.6 million, 12.0/19
GIANTS-EAGLES: Sunday’s game on NBC, in which the Eagles defeated the Giants, 19-17, drew 22.8 million viewers – the first time in NBC’s seven-year Sunday Night Football history that each of the first five games has topped 21 million viewers.
- The 22.8 million for Sunday’s game is up 21% from last year’s Week 4 SNF game (18.9 million for Jets-Ravens), is the most-watched Week 4 game in SNF history, and the most-watched Week 4 primetime game in 16 years (25.1 million for Dolphins-Colts, 9/23/96 on ABC).
- The household rating of 14.1/22 for Sunday’s game is up 23% from last year’s Week 4 SNF game (11.5/18 for Jets-Ravens) and is the highest-rated Week 4 primetime game in 15 years (15.0/26 for Steelers-Jaguars, 9/22/97 on ABC).
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL WEEK 4 GAMES:
In the first week of the official primetime television season, Sunday Night Football was the No. 1 show among viewers, households and all key adult and male demographics. Additionally, it was the No. 4 show among women 18-34 and No. 5 among women 18-49. This marks the fourth straight weekly win for among viewers, households and all the key adult and male demos.
Year
Visitor
Home
Viewers 2+, HH Rating
2012
Giants
Eagles
22.8 million, 14.1/22
2011
Jets
Ravens
18.5 million, 11.8/18
2010
Bears
Giants
20.9 million, 12.5/20
2009
Chargers
Steelers
18.4 million, 11.0/18
2008
Eagles
Bears
17.3 million, 10.8/17
2007
Eagles
Giants
15.0 million, 9.4/15
2006
Seahawks
Bears
16.9 million, 10.8/17
SNF NO. 1 SHOW FOR FIRST WEEK OF PRIMETIME SEASON: In the first week of the official primetime television season, Sunday Night Football was the No. 1 show among viewers, households and all key adult and male demographics. Additionally, it was the No. 4 show among women 18-34 and No. 5 among women 18-49. This marks the fourth straight weekly win for Sunday Night Football among viewers, households and all the key adult and male demos.
SNF DOMINATES SUNDAY NIGHT: The Giants-Eagles Sunday Night Football broadcast easily won the night facing original network programs. NBC led the night among viewers 2+ in primetime with 18.8 million viewers (7:30-11 p.m. ET) topping the 12.3 million for second-place Fox (which was boosted by an NFL overrun) by 54%. NBC also beat CBS (10.5 million) by 80% and ABC (8.5 million) by 121%.
Sunday Night Football has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Series each of the last four years.
TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR GIANTS-EAGLES:
1. Philadelphia
31.8/46
2. Richmond
22.1/33
3. Norfolk
22.0/33
4. Las Vegas
21.2/33
5. New York
20.7/31
T6. Washington, D.C.
18.0/30
T6. Baltimore
18.0/27
T6. Memphis
18.0/25
9. Albuquerque
17.7/28
10. New Orleans
17.2/23
That will do it.
