NFL primetime windows are up through the first four weeks of the '15 season, but Sunday afternoon games have seen declines compared to same period in '14. NBC is averaging 25.31 million viewers for its NFL primetime games to date, which has included the NFL Kickoff game and four “Sunday Night Football” games. That figure marks the best viewership for an NFL primetime package through four weeks since ’93, when ABC was drawing 26.3 million viewers for “Monday Night Football.” NBC’s games also are up 10% from 22.98 million viewers last year at this point, and up from 22.58 million viewers in '13. Meanwhile, CBS and NFL Network are combining to average 19.29 million viewers for three “Thursday Night Football” telecasts through Week 4, up 20% from 16.08 million viewers at the same point last season. Each game has delivered CBS a win in primetime on Thursday night. Over on cable, ESPN is averaging 13.62 million viewers for its five “Monday Night Football” games to date. That figure is relatively flat (+0.4%) compared to 13.57 million viewers at the same point last year, and down from 13.99 million viewers in '13.
DAY JOBS: Both CBS and Fox have seen declines to date for game windows on Sunday afternoon. Fox is averaging 19.9 million viewers through Week 4, down from 20.6 million viewers last year and 21.4 million in '13. Meanwhile, CBS is averaging 17.83 million viewers for its afternoon windows, down from 18.28 million viewers last year, but up from 16.96 million viewers in '13. CBS' average does not include its 9:30am ET game from London in Week 4, which drew 9.86 million viewers (Jets-Dolphins). The first-ever morning window for the NFL was in Week 8 last year, when Fox averaged 8.5 million viewers for Lions-Falcons.
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NFL GAME VIEWERSHIP THROUGH WEEK 4
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|
NETWORK
|
'15 (000)
|
'14 (000)
|
'13 (000)
|
'12 (000)
|
'11 (000)
|
|
NBC*
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25,311
|
22,979
|
22,584
|
23,320
|
23,168
|
|
Fox
|
19,900
|
20,600
|
21,400
|
18,900
|
20,500
|
|
CBS/NFLN**
|
19,293
|
16,081
|
8,573
|
7,895
|
n/a
|
|
CBS^
|
17,827
|
18,280
|
16,955
|
16,758
|
17,429
|
|
ESPN
|
13,624
|
13,568
|
13,987
|
13,969
|
13,087
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTES: * = Includes NFL Kickoff, which aired on a Wednesday in '12 to accommodate the Democratic National Convention. ** = Beginning in '14, NFL Net simulcasts "TNF" with CBS for Weeks 2-8. NFL Net games prior to '14 do not include over-the-air numbers. ^ = Sunday telecasts only. Excludes morning telecast from London in Week 4.
