NFL viewership remains the strongest programming on TV, but many of the league's TV partners are seeing slight declines at the '14 season's midway point. Fox is averaging 20.7 million viewers for its Sunday afternoon telecasts through Week 8, down slightly from the its record-setting start to the ’13 season. The 20.7 million viewers is still the net’s second-best start to an NFL season on record. Not included in Fox’ numbers was last Sunday's Lions-Falcons game from London, which was televised nationally at 9:45am ET. That game finished with 8.53 million viewers (5.5 rating), a figure that dwarfed the audience for noted Sunday morning news shows like NBC's “Meet The Press” and CBS' “Face The Nation.” Meanwhile, CBS is averaging 17.55 million viewers for its Sunday afternoon NFL coverage (excludes any Thursday primetime figures). That audience number is relatively flat compared to 17.66 million viewers at the same point last year. CBS should expect a boost after Week 9, as a much-anticipated Broncos-Patriots matchup will be featured in the Sunday national window.
|
NFL GAME VIEWERSHIP THROUGH WEEK 8
|
|
NETWORK(S)
|
'14 (000)
|
'13 (000)
|
'12 (000)
|
'11 (000)
|
'10 (000)
|
|
NBC*
|
21,660
|
22,097
|
21,165
|
21,262
|
21,527
|
|
Fox
|
20,700
|
20,900
|
19,200
|
19,800
|
19,000
|
|
CBS^
|
17,551
|
17,658
|
16,700
|
17,265
|
18,034
|
|
CBS/NFL Network**
|
16,671
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
ESPN
|
13,994
|
13,075
|
13,145
|
12,771
|
14,626
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTES: * = Includes NFL Kickoff, which aired on a Wednesday in '12 to accommodate the Democratic National Convention. The '08 NFL Kickoff started at 7:00pm ET on a Thursday night to accommodate coverage of the Republican National Convention. ^ = Sunday telecasts only. ** = Beginning in '14, NFL Net simulcasted "TNF" with CBS for Weeks 2-8.
MONDAY NIGHT: ESPN is seeing strong gains for its “MNF” audience through Week 8. The net is averaging 13.99 million viewers, up 7% from 13.08 million viewers at the same point in ’13. The Week 8 Redskins-Cowboys OT matchup drew 18.81 million viewers, which now ranks as the ninth-best audience ever on cable TV (excluding breaking news). Redskins-Cowboys also became the most-viewed “MNF” game yet on the WatchESPN app. On the overall cable landscape, “MNF” was the top cable telecast from Weeks 1-4. Once AMC’s “The Walking Dead” returned on Oct. 12, “MNF” has finished second in viewership each week behind the zombie drama (15.41 million viewers based on live+same-day data).
|
2014 "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" AUDIENCE ON ESPN
|
|
WEEK
|
DATE
|
MATCHUP |
RATING
|
VIEWERS (000)
|
|
1
|
9/8
|
Giants-Lions |
8.4
|
13,728
|
|
1
|
9/8
|
Chargers-Cardinals |
7.1
|
11,515
|
|
2
|
9/15
|
Eagles-Colts |
9.2
|
14,981
|
|
3
|
9/22
|
Bears-Jets |
8.4
|
13,265
|
|
4
|
9/29
|
Patriots-Chiefs |
8.8
|
14,426
|
|
5
|
10/6
|
Seahawks-Redskins |
8.2
|
13,122
|
|
6
|
10/13
|
49ers-Rams |
7.9
|
12,712
|
|
7
|
10/20
|
Texans-Steelers |
8.1
|
13,275
|
|
8
|
10/27
|
Redskins-Cowboys |
11.4
|
18,809
|
8-WEEK AVERAGES |
|
|
8.6
|
13,994
|
SUNDAY NIGHT: After gains to start the season, NBC is now seeing small decline for its NFL broadcasts. The net is averaging 21.66 million viewers after eight weeks, down 2% from 22.1 million viewers. But the net’s “SNF” games remain the most-viewed show on primetime TV. For Weeks 1-7, NBC had the top broadcast TV primetime telecast. It was not until Week 8 that a CBS/NFL Network “TNF” game topped an “SNF” telecast -- Chargers-Broncos (20.22 million viewers) beat out Packers-Saints (18.8 million viewers). CBS had the benefit of no World Series competition, whereas Packers-Saints had to compete with Giants-Royals Game 5.
|
2014 "SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" AUDIENCE ON NBC (INCLUDES NFL KICKOFF GAME)
|
|
WEEK
|
DATE
|
MATCHUP |
RATING
|
VIEWERS (000)
|
|
Kick
|
9/4
|
Packers-Seahawks |
15.5
|
26,913
|
|
1
|
9/7
|
Colts-Broncos |
13.9
|
23,686
|
|
2
|
9/14
|
Bears-49ers |
12.9
|
22,155
|
|
3
|
9/21
|
Steelers-Panthers |
11.8
|
19,665
|
|
4
|
9/28
|
Saints-Cowboys |
13.3
|
22,675
|
|
5
|
10/5
|
Bengals-Patriots |
11.7
|
19,386
|
|
6
|
10/12
|
Giants-Eagles |
10.8
|
18,088
|
|
7
|
10/19
|
49ers-Broncos |
13.8
|
23,792
|
|
8
|
10/26
|
Packers-Saints |
10.9
|
18,799
|
8-WEEK AVERAGES |
|
|
12.7
|
21,660
|
