At the midpoint of the '19 season, NFL games are averaging around 16 million viewers, up 6% from just over 15 million viewers at the same point last season. Fox, NBC, CBS and ESPN are all seeing gains. NFL Network, which has had three exclusive games to date, is the outlier, with that package down 19%. NBC's "SNF" viewership is up 5% to date (TV-only and total audience delivery) and the package is off to its best start since '15. "SNF" also remains on pace to be the most-watched primetime TV show for the ninth straight season. The Sunday night games also continue to grow a large audience lead over any entertainment or scripted programming on TV. On Sunday afternoons, CBS and Fox are up 5% and 8%, respectively. Both networks are off to their best starts since the '16 season. Fox and NFL Network also are combining to average 15.2 million viewers for "TNF" through Week 8, which is the best Thursday night average since '15. "MNF" on ESPN continues to be the most-watched program on cable TV, and the audience is at the best level since '15.
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NFL GAME VIEWERSHIP THROUGH WEEK 8
|
|
NETWORK(S)
|
'19 (000)
|
'18 (000)
|
'17 (000)
|
'16 (000)
|
'15 (000)
|
|
NBC*
|
19,787
|
18,859
|
18,513
|
19,390
|
23,632
|
|
Fox^
|
18,663
|
17,248
|
17,688
|
18,903
|
19,746
|
|
CBS
|
16,629
|
15,777
|
15,781
|
17,168
|
18,504
|
|
Fox/NFL Net**
|
15,240
|
12,789
|
14,134
|
14,698
|
17,562
|
|
ESPN
|
12,789
|
11,255
|
11,107
|
10,619
|
13,172
|
|
NFL Net^^
|
5,292
|
6,495
|
6,346
|
5,508
|
n/a
|
NOTES: * = Includes the Thursday night NFL Kickoff game. ^ = Sunday telecasts only. ** = Only Fox games, which include an NFL Net simulcast. ^^ = Excludes any games also airing on Fox. Includes London game on a Sunday morning.
TAILGATE GUYS: "Fox NFL Sunday" is averaging 4.8 million viewers in the 12:00-1:00pm ET window, which is the show's best figure in four years. From 11:00am-12:00pm, "Fox NFL Kickoff" is averaging 1.3 million, which is the show's best mark through Week 8 on record. Both Fox shows are up 7% from the same point last season. Meanwhile, CBS' "The NFL Today" is averaging 3.3 million viewers, down 7% from the same point last year. ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown" is averaging 1.4 million viewers, up 19% to date.
