Menu
Media

Majority Of NFL TV Partners Seeing Gains Through Week 8; ESPN Off Slightly

A majority of NFL TV partners are seeing audience gains for game coverage through the halfway point of the season. NBC’s games have averaged a 13.1 rating and 22.1 million viewers, marking the best average for an NFL primetime package through eight weeks in 17 years -- dating back to 23.9 million viewers in ’96 for ABC’s “MNF” coverage. “SNF” continues to be the most-watched primetime show on all of TV. The net was able to benefit from having one less day of MLB competition this year. Week 7’s Broncos-Colts game had no MLB game up against it, while last year’s Week 7 game (Steelers-Bengals) had NLCS Game 6. “SNF” also has now topped World Series Game 4s three times in four years. Meanwhile, ESPN is the only NFL TV partner seeing a decline this season to date. “MNF” games are averaging an 8.3 rating and 13.1 million viewers, off 1% for both metrics from ’12. NFL Network is maintaining its record-breaking audience figures through the first half of the season (excludes the special Sunday night game on Oct. 6). The net’s 4.6 rating and 7.3 million viewers is on pace to supplant last season’s record-setting averages.

AFTERNOON DELIGHT: Fox is averaging a 12.5 rating and 20.9 million viewers for its Sunday afternoon telecasts, putting the net on pace for its best NFL season on record. The net’s audience is up 23% from five years ago, up 26% from 10 years ago and up 29% from 15 years ago. CBS also is seeing gains for NFL coverage. The 10.7 rating and 17.6 million viewers mark CBS' second-best audience through eight weeks since the NFL returned to the net in '98 (behind only '10).

NFL GAME VIEWERSHIP THROUGH WEEK 8
NET
'13 (000)
'12 (000)
'11 (000)
'10 (000)
'09 (000)
'08 (000)
NBC*
22,097
21,165
21,262
21,527
19,117
15,881
Fox
20,900
19,200
19,800
19,000
19,452
16,728
CBS
17,648
16,700
17,265
18,034
15,864
15,296
ESPN
13,075
13,145
12,771
14,626
14,421
12,194
NFLN**
7,332
6,827
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a

NOTES: * = Includes NFL Kickoff, which aired on a Wednesday in '12 to accommodate the DNC. The '08 NFL Kickoff started at 7:00pm ET on a Thursday night to accommodate coverage of the RNC. ** = Average for NFL Net in '13 does not include the Oct. 6 Chargers-Raiders game, which was moved at the last moment from CBS to NFLN due to MLB scheduling issues. NFL Net is averaging 6.755 million viewers with that game included.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2013/11/01/Media/NFL-ratings.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2013/11/01/Media/NFL-ratings.aspx

CLOSE