The NFL’s national TV partners are seeing a mixed bag for game ratings/viewership through the first four weeks of the season. Fox is off to a record start with their Sunday NFC package. The 12.2 rating and 20.4 million viewers mark the net’s highest-rated and most-viewed start to an NFL season. Those figures are up 9% and 4%, respectively, from last year, and up 4% and 14% from ’09. Fox also turned in its most-viewed NFL singleheader since ’95 last week (14.0 rating, 23.3 million viewers), which also marked the league’s highest-rated singleheader since ’98. “Fox NFL Sunday” is averaging a 3.6 rating and 5.6 million viewers, marking the pregame show’s highest-rated and most-viewed mark through four weeks since ’01. NBC is also seeing a small gain to start the season, averaging a 13.9 rating and 23.2 million viewers through four weeks (five telecasts), up 1% in both metrics compared to last year. Compared to the start in ’09, NBC is up 2% and 12%, respectively. “SNF” has also won the night for each of its four Sunday telecasts to date. CBS is off to a slower start in ’11, without traditional ratings draw Peyton Manning fueling the numbers. The net is averaging a 10.5 rating and 17.4 million viewers, down 7% in both metrics compared to ’10, when CBS was off to its best four-week average since gaining the AFC TV package in '98. Despite the slow start, the ‘11 figures remain well above the net’s start to ’09 (+11% in viewership). CBS’ “The NFL Today” pregame show is also down 7% to start the season (2.9 vs. 3.1). ESPN’s ‘MNF” is off to a slow start for the second straight season. The net’s 8.3 U.S. rating and 13.1 million viewers are down 11% for both metrics compared to ’10, and down 15% and 16% compared to ’09.
| NFL GAME VIEWERSHIP THROUGH WEEK FOUR |
| NET | '11 (000) | '10 (000) | 1-YR % +/- | '09 (000) | 2-YR % +/- |
| NBC | 23,168 | 22,853 | 1% | 20,756 | 12% |
| Fox | 20,400 | 19,677 | 4% | 17,916 | 14% |
| CBS | 17,400 | 18,699 | -7% | 15,671 | 11% |
| ESPN | 13,100 | 14,786 | -11% | 15,684 | -16% |
