Fox is averaging a 12.2 rating and 20.5 million viewers for its NFL game coverage through Week 13, marking the net’s best rating through that period since ’95 and best viewership mark ever. Fox is also the league’s only national TV partner to see an audience increase this season. The net’s Sunday national windows are averaging a 15.9 rating (26.7 million viewers), up 3% from a 15.5 rating (26.1 million viewers last year). NFL Network is also off to its best start yet for its package of games. The net is averaging a 4.1 U.S. rating and 7.1 million viewers, up 24% in both metrics compared to the same point last season. The net’s Thanksgiving night 49ers-Ravens telecast (10.7 million viewers) was it’s most-watched game since it gained the Thursday night package prior to the ’06 season. NBC and CBS are seeing slight drops in audience through Week 13, with ratings and viewership for both nets down just under 2%. ESPN is seeing the sharpest drop among the league’s TV partners. “MNF” games are averaging an 8.3 rating and 13.0 million viewers to date, down 7% and 9%, respectively, from the same period last year (Austin Karp, THE DAILY).
| NFL GAME RATINGS, VIEWERSHIP THROUGH WEEK THIRTEEN |
| NET | '11 RAT. | PREV. | % +/- | '11 VIEWERS (000) | PREV. | % +/- |
| NBC | 12.7 | 12.9 | -1.6% | 21,015 | 21,414 | -1.9% |
| Fox | 12.2 | 11.9 | 2.5% | 20,500 | 20,300 | 1.0% |
| CBS | 10.9 | 11.1 | -1.8% | 18,300 | 18,500 | -1.1% |
| ESPN | 8.3 | 8.9 | -6.7% | 13,035 | 14,364 | -9.3% |
| NFL Network | 4.1 | 3.3 | 24.2% | 7,143 | 5,742 | 24.4% |
| | | | | | | |
TEBOW-MANIA: USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand notes Broncos QB Tim Tebow "might nudge the NFL's ratings this season past last year's historic levels even as the league is negotiating ... new TV deals that will bring the usual windfall gains that come when the league gets to raise rents on its TV rights." That Tebow's success was "so unexpected is part of its appeal, but it also makes the Tebow effect on ratings difficult to quantify." The Broncos' games "end up in regionalized coverage, meaning their ratings are mushed in with other games." But in Denver, Broncos games overall are "up 17% -- and up 13% since Tebow became the starter" (
USA TODAY, 12/9). In L.A., Joe Flint notes Fox and CBS are "shifting their NFL schedules around to get Tebow in front of the biggest audience possible." Fox Sunday has the Bears-Broncos game, which "will be seen in almost half the country," and CBS has already decided to make the Dec. 18 Patriots-Broncos game available "in more than 70% of the country" (
L.A. TIMES, 12/9).
SOMETHING STRANGE WITH NO-FLEX DECISION? With the NFL deciding to keep the Dec. 18 Ravens-Chargers game on NBC and not to move Patriots-Broncos off of CBS, ESPN’s Tony Reali noted it seems some people wonder if there's special treatment for some teams, and in this case CBS, which gets to keep Tebow and Brady.” Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw said, “Everybody would see the New England-Denver as a more attractive game with Tebow and Brady. You want that on there. I understand the teams not wanting to move it, I understand CBS not wanting to lose the game, but the league doesn’t really explain what went on.” Columnist Kevin Blackistone said, “I don't know if there's anything fishy going on there. I'm not even sure that's the better game. That could be a blowout given the Patriots' offense against the Broncos.” Howver, Patriots Owner Robert Kraft “may just have that much goodwill given all he did to end the lockout.” L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke: "Something weird is going on here, and I think it involves Bob Kraft and how close he is to Commissioner Roger Goodell” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 12/8).
