For the fourth time this season, the NFL topped the ratings in all 30 of its markets. And for Week 15, NFL games were the two most-watched programs for the week. CBS’ Pittsburgh-Dallas game and the Sunday Night game on NBC between San Francisco and New England topped the ratings for the week ending December 16.
Here’s the press release from the National Football League.
NFL GAME TOPS RATINGS IN ALL 30 NFL MARKETS FOR RECORD FOURTH TIME
NFL Game Telecasts 27 of 28 Most-Watched TV Shows This Fall
An NFL game was the highest-rated show in all 30 NFL markets last week (Dec. 10-16), marking the fourth time this season NFL games topped local ratings in all NFL markets – the most ever through Week 15. In addition, the four “30 for 30” weeks matches the prior full-season records set in 2010 and 2011.
NFL games were the two most-watched shows on TV last week with the CBS national telecast (mostly Pittsburgh Steelers-Dallas Cowboys) topping all sports and entertainment competition with 26.9 million viewers followed by NBC’s Sunday Night Football (San Francisco 49ers-New England Patriots) with 23.2 million viewers.
An NFL game has topped the viewership charts in all 15 weeks this season and 14 times in 15 weeks NFL games ranked 1-2 in viewership.
For the season, NFL games rank as 27 of the 28 most-watched TV shows since Labor Day. Following are the most-watched programs this fall:
Program Viewers 1. FOX Thanksgiving Game (Redskins-Cowboys), 11/22 28.7 million 2. NBC Sunday Night Football (Steelers-Broncos), 9/9 27.6 million 3. CBS Thanksgiving Game (Texans-Lions), 11/22 27.3 million 4. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-Cowboys), 10/28 26.9 million 5. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Cowboys), 12/16 26.9 million 6. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Packers), 9/9 26.4 million 7. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Saints), 11/25 24.9 million 8. CBS Sunday National (mostly Broncos-Patriots), 10/7 24.5 million 9. FOX Sunday National (mostly Saints-Giants), 12/9 24.5 million 10. FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Eagles), 11/11 24.3 million 11. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Giants), 11/4 24.2 million 12. CBS Sunday National (mostly Texans-Broncos), 9/23 24.0 million 13. NBC Wed. Night Kickoff Game (Cowboys-Giants), 9/5 23.9 million 14. CBS Sunday National (Indy-NE & SD-Den), 11/18 23.6 million 15. NBC Sunday Night Football (49ers-Patriots), 12/16 23.2 million 16. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Ravens), 12/2 23.0 million 17. CBS Sunday National (mostly Jets-Patriots), 10/21 23.0 million 18. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-49ers), 10/14 22.8 million 19. NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Eagles), 9/30 22.8 million 20. NBC Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, 11/22 22.4 million 21. FOX Sunday National (mostly Saints-Packers), 9/30 22.3 million 22. NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Falcons), 11/4 21.8 million 23. NBC Sunday Night Football (Lions-Packers), 12/9 21.4 million 24. NBC Sunday Night Football (Lions-49ers), 9/16 21.3 million 25. NBC Sunday Night Football (Patriots-Ravens), 9/23 21.3 million 26. FOX Sunday Single (mostly Minn-GB & TB-Den), 12/2 20.9 million 27. NBC Sunday Night Football (Texans-Bears), 11/11 20.9 million 28. NBC Sunday Night Football (Packers-Giants), 11/25 20.9 million 29. CBS NCIS (Season Premiere), 9/25 20.5 million 30. NBC Sunday Night Football (Eagles-Cowboys), 12/2 20.4 million Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company
Following is the list of all 30 NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Dec. 10-16:
Week of 12/10-16
HH
HH
RTG
Market Game Date
RTG
SHR
Rank
Milwaukee Packers at Bears 12/16/2012
48.5
78
1
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys 12/16/2012
47.5
70
1
Boston Texans at Patriots 12/10/2012
39.1
59
1
New Orleans Buccaneers at Saints 12/16/2012
37.6
60
1
Houston Texans at Patriots 12/10/2012
34.4
50
1
Denver Broncos at Ravens 12/16/2012
33.8
68
1
Minneapolis Vikings at Rams 12/16/2012
32.6
65
1
Indianapolis Colts at Texans 12/16/2012
32.4
55
1
Baltimore Broncos at Ravens 12/16/2012
31.6
54
1
Chicago Packers at Bears 12/16/2012
31.5
59
1
Dallas Steelers at Cowboys 12/16/2012
31.4
58
1
Kansas City Chiefs at Raiders 12/16/2012
30.7
52
1
Seattle Seahawks at Bills 12/16/2012
30.6
58
1
Cincinnati Bengals at Eagles 12/13/2012
30.4
46
1
Cleveland Redskins at Browns 12/16/2012
29.5
57
1
Washington, DC Redskins at Browns 12/16/2012
28.9
53
1
San Fran-Oakland 49ers at Patriots 12/16/2012
28.6
49
1
Atlanta Giants at Falcons 12/16/2012
26.3
48
1
Detroit Lions at Cardinals 12/16/2012
22.6
39
1
Buffalo Seahawks at Bills 12/16/2012
22.2
34
1
Philadelphia Bengals at Eagles 12/13/2012
20.1
32
1
Nashville Steelers at Cowboys 12/16/2012
19.5
30
1
St. Louis Vikings at Rams 12/16/2012
18.7
39
1
Phoenix Lions at Cardinals 12/16/2012
18.4
36
1
San Diego 49ers at Patriots 12/16/2012
18.3
29
1
Charlotte Panthers at Chargers 12/16/2012
17.3
30
1
Jacksonville Jaguars at Dolphins 12/16/2012
17.3
33
1
New York Giants at Falcons 12/16/2012
15.2
30
1
Miami Jaguars at Dolphins 12/16/2012
14.5
31
1
Tampa Buccaneers at Saints 12/16/2012
12.4
25
1
Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company
That’s all.
