via press release:
NFL GAMES TOP LOCAL RATINGS 92 PERCENT OF TIME –
RECORD PACE THROUGH WEEK 13
NFL Game Most Watched Show in All 13 Weeks
NFL games have topped the ratings in local markets a record 92 percent of the time this season – up from 88 percent through Week 13 last season. Last week (Nov. 26-Dec. 2), NFL games were tops in 26 of 30 NFL markets.
Nationally, NFL games were the two most-watched shows on TV last week with the CBS national telecast (mostly Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens) topping all sports and entertainment competition with 23.0 million viewers followed by NBC’s Sunday Night Football (Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles) with 20.4 million viewers.
This marks the 13th time in 13 weeks that an NFL game has topped the viewership charts and the 12th time in 13 weeks that NFL games ranked 1-2 in viewership for the week.
For the season, NFL games rank as 22 of the 23 most-watched TV shows since Labor Day. Following are the most-watched programs this fall:
| Program | Viewers |
| 1. FOX Thanksgiving Game (Redskins-Cowboys), 11/22 | 28.7 million |
| 2. NBC Sunday Night Football (Steelers-Broncos), 9/9 | 27.6 million |
| 3. CBS Thanksgiving Game (Texans-Lions), 11/22 | 27.3 million |
| 4. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-Cowboys), 10/28 | 26.9 million |
| 5. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Packers), 9/9 | 26.4 million |
| 6. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Saints), 11/25 | 24.9 million |
| 7. CBS Sunday National (mostly Broncos-Patriots), 10/7 | 24.5 million |
| 8. FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Eagles), 11/11 | 24.3 million |
| 9. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Giants), 11/4 | 24.2 million |
| 10. CBS Sunday National (mostly Texans-Broncos), 9/23 | 24.0 million |
| 11. NBC Wed. Night Kickoff Game (Cowboys-Giants), 9/5 | 23.9 million |
| 12. CBS Sunday National (Indy-NE & SD-Den), 11/18 | 23.6 million |
| 13. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Ravens), 12/2 | 23.0 million |
| 14. CBS Sunday National (mostly Jets-Patriots), 10/21 | 23.0 million |
| 15. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-49ers), 10/14 | 22.8 million |
| 16. NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Eagles), 9/30 | 22.8 million |
| 17. NBC Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, 11/22 | 22.4 million |
| 18. FOX Sunday National (mostly Saints-Packers), 9/30 | 22.3 million |
| 19. NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Falcons), 11/4 | 21.8 million |
| 20. NBC Sunday Night Football (Lions-49ers), 9/16 | 21.3 million |
| 21. NBC Sunday Night Football (Patriots-Ravens), 9/23 | 21.3 million |
| 22. NBC Sunday Night Football (Texans-Bears), 11/11 | 20.9 million |
| 23. NBC Sunday Night Football (Packers-Giants), 11/25 | 20.9 million |
| 24. CBS NCIS (Season Premiere), 9/25 | 20.5 million |
Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company
Following is the list of NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Nov. 26-Dec. 2:
| Week of 11/26-12/2 |
|
HH |
HH |
RTG |
|
| Market | Game |
Date |
RTG |
SHR |
Rank |
| New Orleans | Saints at Falcons |
11/29/12 |
49.0 |
64 |
1 |
| Pittsburgh | Steelers at Ravens |
12/2/12 |
48.3 |
69 |
1 |
| Milwaukee | Vikings at Packers |
12/2/12 |
43.5 |
74 |
1 |
| Baltimore | Steelers at Ravens |
12/2/12 |
42.9 |
62 |
1 |
| Denver | Bucs at Broncos |
12/2/12 |
38.2 |
67 |
1 |
| Indianapolis | Colts at Lions |
12/2/12 |
36.2 |
64 |
1 |
| Boston | Patriots at Dolphins |
12/2/12 |
36.2 |
66 |
1 |
| Minneapolis | Vikings at Packers |
12/2/12 |
35.5 |
69 |
1 |
| Cleveland | Browns at Raiders |
12/2/12 |
34.2 |
55 |
1 |
| Cincinnati | Bengals at Chargers |
12/2/12 |
32.5 |
50 |
1 |
| Dallas | Eagles at Cowboys |
12/2/12 |
32.4 |
49 |
1 |
| Kansas City | Panthers at Chiefs |
12/2/12 |
30.0 |
57 |
1 |
| Chicago | Seahawks at Bears |
12/2/12 |
29.7 |
59 |
1 |
| Detroit | Colts at Lions |
12/2/12 |
28.5 |
51 |
1 |
| Houston | Texans at Titans |
12/2/12 |
26.5 |
52 |
1 |
| Philadelphia | Eagles at Cowboys |
12/2/12 |
25.7 |
38 |
1 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | Seahawks at Bears |
12/2/12 |
25.2 |
53 |
1 |
| Washington, DC | Steelers at Ravens |
12/2/12 |
23.0 |
39 |
1 |
| Charlotte | Panthers at Chiefs |
12/2/12 |
21.5 |
40 |
1 |
| Nashville | Texans at Titans |
12/2/12 |
21.1 |
37 |
1 |
| San Fran-Oakland | 49ers at Rams |
12/2/12 |
20.1 |
49 |
1 |
| St. Louis | 49ers at Rams |
12/2/12 |
20.1 |
42 |
1 |
| Tampa | Bucs at Broncos |
12/2/12 |
18.7 |
34 |
1 |
| Miami | Patriots at Dolphins |
12/2/12 |
18.1 |
38 |
1 |
| Phoenix | Cardinals at Jets |
12/2/12 |
16.9 |
36 |
1 |
| San Diego | Eagles at Cowboys |
12/2/12 |
13.7 |
22 |
1 |
Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company
Another example of why ATL is a poor sports market, couldn’t even make the list with a team that is 11-1, playing a big division rival and for a game that with the victory clinches a playoff spot. The other three (NYC – rare to make list since it is such a fragmented market), Buffalo (bad team, match-up), Jax (bad team).
Oakland who played Cleveland is just lumped into SF figures. I assume that game aired in the bay area as well?
Also D.C shows Ravens Sunday game, while Redskins played Monday night to big numbers nationally.
@DenverDean,
Let me also point out that the Bills were blacked out Sunday, thus that game wasn’t even on in Buffalo. I’ll bet the most watched program in Atlanta and Jacksonville this week was the SEC Championship Game — ESPECIALLY Atlanta, not just because that’s where the game was, but also because of the Georgia Bulldogs (Athens, GA is part of the Atlanta media market). As for New York, I’ll say the Christmas in Rockefeller Center drew the largest audience (since it was in Manhattan, lots of interest hence), but Buffalo, I’m not sure.
@JFC,
The Raiders were blacked on Sunday, so it wasn’t even on in the Bay Area.
New Orleans and Pittsburgh markets are always first or second.
Wow, the NFL is a juggernaut….bitch.