More than 175 Million Fans Tune In
Local Ratings on Record Pace
NFL Games 14 Most-Watched Shows on TV this Season &
30 Most-Watched Shows among Adults 18-49
More fans are watching NFL games on television through the season's first nine weeks than ever before, according to information provided by The Nielsen Company.
More than 175 million fans have tuned in to at least part of an NFL game this season - topping the 170 million viewers at this point last year. The average NFL game telecast (including broadcast and cable) has drawn 18.3 million viewers - double the average primetime viewership (8.6 million) for the big four broadcast networks in the new television season.
Following are some fast facts about the NFL on TV at midseason :
- NFL games account for the 14 most-watched programs on television since the NFL season kicked off on Sept. 9. This compares to NFL games accounting for the six most-watched shows at this point last season and none of the top 15 shows five years ago.
- NFL games are averaging 18.3 million viewers - up seven percent from last year at this point (17.2 million).
- NFL games account for the 30 most-watched programs on television (since Sept. 9) among adults aged 18-49 - with each of the networks televising NFL games represented on that list.
- An NFL game telecast has been television's most-watched program in each of the nine weeks of the NFL season.
- NFL games top the local ratings in NFL markets 86 percent of the time - the highest rate in history after nine weeks.
- 10 NFL clubs have posted local-market ratings increases of at least 20 percent compared to last year at this time.
Following are the most-watched programs on television since the beginning of the NFL season:
Program
Viewers
1. FOX Sunday National (mostly Packers-Eagles), 9/12
28.0 million
2. CBS Sunday National (mostly Colts-Eagles), 11/7
27.8 million
3. NBC Thursday Night Kickoff Game (Vikings-Saints), 9/9
27.5 million
4. CBS Sunday National (mostly Patriots-Jets), 9/19
27.0 million
5. FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Vikings), 10/17
26.0 million
6. NBC Sunday Night Football (Vikings-Packers), 10/24
25.7 million
7. NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Redskins), 9/12
25.3 million
8. FOX Sunday National (mostly Vikings-Patriots), 10/31
25.2 million
9. CBS Sunday National (mostly Colts-Broncos), 9/26
23.1 million
9. FOX Sunday National (mostly Redskins-Eagles), 10/3
23.1 million
9. NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Colts), 9/19
23.1 million
12. FOX Sunday Single (mostly Cowboys-Texans & Eagles-Jaguars) , 9/26
22.2 million
13. CBS Sunday National (mostly Patriots-Chargers), 10/24
21.9 million
14. CBS Sunday Single (mostly Jets-Broncos & Ravens-Patriots), 10/17
21.5 million
- Dancing with the Stars, 9/27
21.4 million
Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company, 9/9-11/7/10
Following is the list of 27 NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Nov. 1-7:
Week of 11/1-11/7
HH
HH
RTG
Market
Game
Date
RTG
SHR
Rank
Milwaukee
Cowboys at Packers
11/7/10
45.6
62
1
Kansas City
Chiefs at Raiders
11/7/10
45.2
68
1
New Orleans
Saints at Panthers
11/7/10
44.9
67
1
Indianapolis
Texans at Colts
11/1/10
43.6
58
1
Baltimore
Dolphins at Ravens
11/7/10
36.2
64
1
Philadelphia
Colts at Eagles
11/7/10
35.7
54
1
Minneapolis
Cardinals at Vikings
11/7/10
34.9
70
1
Cleveland
Patriots at Browns
11/7/10
32.2
59
1
Boston
Patriots at Browns
11/7/10
30.7
60
1
Buffalo
Bears vs Bills (Toronto)
11/7/10
28.8
48
1
Chicago
Bears vs Bills (Toronto)
11/7/10
27.1
53
1
Detroit
Jets at Lions
11/7/10
27.0
52
1
San Diego
Chargers at Texans
11/7/10
27.0
55
1
Atlanta
Buccaneers at Falcons
11/7/10
22.5
43
1
Nashville
Colts at Eagles
11/7/10
22.4
35
1
Houston
Texans at Colts
11/1/10
22.0
33
1
Phoenix
Cardinals at Vikings
11/7/10
21.3
45
1
Tampa
Buccaneers at Falcons
11/7/10
19.7
40
1
Charlotte
Saints at Panthers
11/7/10
19.5
38
1
Seattle
Giants at Seahawks
11/7/10
19.1
45
1
Washington, DC
Colts at Eagles
11/7/10
18.5
33
1
Pittsburgh
Dolphins at Ravens
11/7/10
18.2
36
1
Jacksonville
Colts at Eagles
11/7/10
18.1
28
1
Miami
Dolphins at Ravens
11/7/10
17.6
37
1
New York
Jets at Lions
11/7/10
16.5
35
1
Denver
Chiefs at Raiders
11/7/10
15.3
32
1
St. Louis
Chiefs at Raiders
11/7/10
14.5
25
1
