via press release:
NFL GAMES RANK AS 9 MOST-WATCHED TV SHOWS THIS FALL
Games Top Local Ratings in 29 of 30 NFL Markets
The CBS national telecast (mostly Broncos-Patriots) was the most watched TV program with 24.5 million average viewers last week (Oct. 1-7) topping competition which included the second week of the primetime TV season and MLB playoffs.
For the season, NFL games rank as the nine most-watched TV shows since Labor Day. Following are the most-watched programs this fall:
| Program | Viewers |
| 1. NBC Sunday Night Football (Steelers-Broncos), 9/9 | 27.6 million |
| 2. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Packers), 9/9 | 26.4 million |
| 3. CBS Sunday National (mostly Broncos-Patriots), 10/7 | 24.5 million |
| 4. CBS Sunday National (mostly Texans-Broncos), 9/23 | 24.0 million |
| 5. NBC Wednesday Night Kickoff Game (Cowboys-Giants), 9/5 | 23.9 million |
| 6. NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Eagles), 9/30 | 22.8 million |
| 7. FOX Sunday National (mostly Saints-Packers), 9/30 | 22.3 million |
| 8. NBC Sunday Night Football (Lions-49ers), 9/16 | 21.3 million |
| 9. NBC Sunday Night Football (Patriots-Ravens), 9/23 | 21.3 million |
| 10. CBS NCIS (Season Premiere), 9/25 | 20.5 million |
Locally, NFL games topped ratings in 29 NFL markets last week:
| Program |
# of NFL Markets Ranked #1 |
| NFL Football |
29 |
| MLB Wild Card (A’s-Tigers) |
1 |
Following is the list of the NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Oct. 1-7:
| Week of 10/1–10/7 |
|
HH |
HH |
RTG |
|
| Market | Game |
Date |
RTG |
SHR |
Rank |
| New Orleans | Chargers at Saints |
10/7/12 |
49.6 |
65 |
1 |
| Milwaukee | Packers at Colts |
10/7/12 |
45.0 |
75 |
1 |
| Pittsburgh | Eagles at Steelers |
10/7/12 |
39.9 |
68 |
1 |
| Boston | Broncos at Patriots |
10/7/12 |
37.6 |
63 |
1 |
| Minneapolis | Titans at Vikings |
10/7/12 |
36.9 |
62 |
1 |
| Denver | Broncos at Patriots |
10/7/12 |
36.8 |
66 |
1 |
| Kansas City | Ravens at Chiefs |
10/7/12 |
34.3 |
62 |
1 |
| San Diego | Chargers at Saints |
10/7/12 |
34.3 |
56 |
1 |
| Indianapolis | Packers at Colts |
10/7/12 |
33.7 |
56 |
1 |
| Buffalo | Bills at 49ers |
10/7/12 |
31.5 |
50 |
1 |
| Baltimore | Ravens at Chiefs |
10/7/12 |
31.2 |
50 |
1 |
| Cincinnati | Dolphins at Bengals |
10/7/12 |
29.3 |
54 |
1 |
| Philadelphia | Eagles at Steelers |
10/7/12 |
28.2 |
49 |
1 |
| Cleveland | Browns at Giants |
10/7/12 |
27.5 |
52 |
1 |
| St. Louis | Cardinals at Rams |
10/4/12 |
26.3 |
40 |
1 |
| Dallas | Bears at Cowboys |
10/1/12 |
26.1 |
41 |
1 |
| Chicago | Bears at Cowboys |
10/1/12 |
25.9 |
49 |
1 |
| Atlanta | Falcons at Redskins |
10/7/12 |
25.0 |
47 |
1 |
| Washington, DC | Falcons at Redskins |
10/7/12 |
24.8 |
46 |
1 |
| Charlotte | Seahawks at Panthers |
10/7/12 |
24.7 |
40 |
1 |
| Seattle | Seahawks at Panthers |
10/7/12 |
23.5 |
53 |
1 |
| Nashville | Titans at Vikings |
10/7/12 |
23.1 |
38 |
1 |
| Phoenix | Cardinals at Rams |
10/4/12 |
21.8 |
36 |
1 |
| Jacksonville | Bears at Jaguars |
10/7/12 |
20.1 |
32 |
1 |
| San Fran-Oakland | Bills at 49ers |
10/7/12 |
18.6 |
47 |
1 |
| Miami | Dolphins at Bengals |
10/7/12 |
18.5 |
37 |
1 |
| New York | Browns at Giants |
10/7/12 |
17.6 |
36 |
1 |
| Houston | Broncos at Patriots |
10/7/12 |
15.4 |
30 |
1 |
| Tampa | Broncos at Patriots |
10/7/12 |
13.8 |
25 |
1 |
And the Steelers are #1. Go Pittsburgh!
I read somewhere that two thirds of Americans will watch at least one football game in a season. As oppossed to every other programming that gets a fraction of a fraction of the U.S. audience.
The only reason that the NFL Network’s Thursday-night games aren’t dominating the ratings is that the NFL Network is in far fewer homes than ESPN or the broadcast networks.
When the NFL Network gets in as many homes as ESPN (which might be by next Fall), “NFL Thursday Night Football” will become that night’s dominant program in total viewers and key demographics.
And that could cause major problems for the broadcast networks since Thursday is the most important night of the prime-time week (mainly due to movie studios buying commercial spots to promote films opening the next day).