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NFL Halftime Report: CBS/NFL Net Thursday Package Draws Combined 16.7 Million Viewers

“Thursday Night Football” on CBS and NFL Network proved to be the second highest-rated and most-viewed NFL primetime TV package after the first eight weeks of the season. The games, which aired on CBS and were simulcast on NFL Network, posted an average audience that was about 5 million viewers shy of NBC’s “SNF” schedule. But Thursday night’s audience of 16.7 million is around 2.7 million viewers more than the size of ESPN’s “MNF.” The nets’ combined 10.3 average rating fell short of the 12.0 rating that was guaranteed to advertisers. But several ad buyers told THE DAILY that they were pleased with the package’s performance overall and wound up with “a handful” of make-goods that would be honored later in the NFL season. CBS’ ad sales division sold the ads, which aired both on CBS and NFL Network. The net’s original asking price was around $500,000 per 30-second spot, which put it between “SNF” and “MNF.” NFL Network alone now picks up Weeks 9-16 on Thursdays. CBS will get one more game on the Saturday of Week 16. It was no surprise that this year’s combined effort topped NFL Net’s efforts on its own in ‘13. The league-owned network averaged only 7.33 million viewers for the comparable seven games last year.

2014 "THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" AUDIENCE
WK
DATE
MATCHUP
RATING
CBS
NFL
NET
VIEWERS
(000)
CBS
NFL
NET
2
9/11
Steelers-Ravens
12.7
10.5
2.2
20,771
17,340
3,431
3
9/18
Buccaneers-Falcons
7.5
6.1
1.4
11,882
9,535
2,347
4
9/25
Giants-Redskins
10.2
8.4
1.8
16,289
13,356
2,933
5
10/2
Vikings-Packers
9.8
8.2
1.6
16,544
13,852
2,692
6
10/9
Colts-Texans
10.0
8.1
1.9
15,852
12,834
3,018
7
10/16
Jets-Patriots
10.1
8.3
1.8
16,094
13,192
2,902
8
10/23
Chargers-Broncos
12.3
10.2
2.1
20,216
16,851
3,365
8-WEEK AVERAGES
10.3
8.5
1.8
16,671
13,727
2,944

GETTING A "BANG" FOR THEIR BUCK: For CBS, the decision to move scripted shows off of Thursday paid off. The net’s primetime Thursday block last year in Weeks 2-8 of the NFL season averaged 10.22 million viewers, well short of what the NFL brought to the table. CBS last year had a mix of shows for Thursday nights, anchored by “The Big Bang Theory,” but also including “Elementary,” “Two and a Half Men,” “The Millers” and “The Crazy Ones."

CBS THURSDAY PRIMETIME AUDIENCE DURING WEEKS 2-8 OF 2013 NFL SEASON
DATE
RATING
VIEWERS (000)
9/12/13
3.8
5,852
9/19/13
4.5
6,807
9/26/13
8.8
14,534
10/3/13
7.4
11,902
10/10/13
6.9
11,098
10/17/13
6.8
10,897
10/24/13
6.5
10,443
7-WEEK AVERAGE
6.4
10,219

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