NBC’s “SNF” once again was the most-watched show in primetime for the fourth consecutive season, while also taking the win among adults 18-49 for the fifth straight year. “SNF” averaged a 12.4 final rating, topping the 11.6 rating CBS averaged for “NCIS.” CBS’ first season of “TNF” telecasts finished No. 6 overall, while ABC’s “Saturday Night Football” package of college games finished No. 86. “SNF” finished at No. 1 with a 7.6 rating among adults 18-49, besting No. 2 “Empire” on Fox (7.1 rating). CBS’ “TNF” ranked No. 3 with a 5.9 rating in the demo, with “Saturday Night Football” at No. 68 (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
HOW IMPORTANT IS SPORTS? DEADLINE.com’s Dominic Patten noted NBC as a network in primetime “clinched the top spot among adults 18-49 for the second year in a row.” NBC was buoyed by its Super Bowl XLIX telecast, giving the net a small win over CBS in the demo (2.4 vs. 2.3). Without the Super Bowl, "NBC would have gotten a 2.25 rating compared to CBS’ 2.34 result." Patten: “Remove sports from the equation and ABC is top among the Big 4” (DEADLINE.com, 5/19). BROADCASTING & CABLE’s Tim Baysinger noted CBS “won among total viewers for the 12th time in the last 13 years” (BROADCASTINGCABLE.com, 5/19).
