via press release:
2ND MOST-WATCHED “NFL KICKOFF” GAME EVER AS MORE THAN 27 MILLION TUNE IN TO STEELERS-PATRIOTS ON NBC
Game is Most-Watched Show on Television in 5 Months
16.2/28 HH Rating for Steelers-Patriots Up 3% From ’14 Opener
NBC Sports Live Extra Sets Streaming Record for non-Olympic/Super Bowl Event with 32 Million Minutes
STAMFORD, Conn. – September 11, 2015 – The New England Patriots’ 28-21 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on NBC last night averaged 27.4 million viewers to rank as the second most-watched “NFL Kickoff” game in the 14-year history of the event, according to Fast national data released today by The Nielsen Company.
The most-watched, highest-rated quarter hour was 9:15-9:30 p.m. ET with 30.2 million viewers and a 17.5/30. The most-watched “NFL Kickoff” was the 2010 opener (Vikings-Saints, 27.5 million) featuring an NFC Championship Game rematch, as Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings visited the then-defending Super Bowl-champion New Orleans Saints. Viewership for Steelers-Patriots was up 1% from last year’s opening-game (27.1 million for Packers-Seahawks).
Last night’s game (8:41-11:29 p.m. ET) registered a national household rating of 16.2/28 – also ranking second best among Kickoff games behind 2010 (16.5/28). The rating was up 3% from last year’s opener (15.7/27).
The Super Bowl-champion Patriots’ seven-point victory, led by QB Tom Brady (four touchdown passes and a team-record stretch of 19 consecutive pass completions) and TE Rob Gronkowski (three TD receptions), is television’s most-watched show since the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship (28.3 million viewers on April 6).
DIGITAL: NBC Sports Live Extra’s live stream of last night’s NFL Kickoff generated record-setting digital numbers. Fans consumed more than 32 million minutes, setting a new NBC Sports Live Extra record and making it the highest-trafficked non-Olympic, non-Super Bowl live stream in NBC Sports Digital history.
The 32 million minutes live streamed tops last year’s “NFL Kickoff” game by 31% (24.5 million minutes). NBC Sports Live Extra also posted a record-setting 530,000 unique viewers for Steelers-Patriots – topping last year’s “NFL Kickoff” game by 5%.
NFL KICKOFF VIEWERSHIP:
(All Games on Thursday Night except 2012)
|
2015 |
NBC |
27.4 million |
(New England 28 – Pittsburgh 21) |
|
2014 |
NBC |
27.1 million |
(Seattle 36 – Green Bay 16) |
|
2013 |
NBC |
25.1 million |
(Denver 49 – Baltimore 27) |
|
2012 |
NBC |
23.9 million |
(Dallas 24 – NY Giants 17)** |
|
2011 |
NBC |
27.1 million |
(Green Bay 42 – New Orleans 34) |
|
2010 |
NBC |
27.5 million |
(New Orleans 14 – Minnesota 9) |
|
2009 |
NBC |
20.9 million |
(Pittsburgh 13 – Tennessee 10) |
|
2008 |
NBC |
13.5 million |
(NY Giants 16 – Washington 7)* |
|
2007 |
NBC |
17.8 million |
(Indianapolis 41 – New Orleans 10) |
|
2006 |
NBC |
19.2 million |
(Pittsburgh 28 – Miami 17) |
|
2005 |
ABC |
18.0 million |
(New England 30 – Oakland 20) |
|
2004 |
ABC |
16.9 million |
(New England 27 – Indianapolis 24) |
|
2003 |
ABC |
19.1 million |
(Washington 16 – NY Jets 13) |
|
2002 |
ESPN |
10.8 million |
(San Francisco 16 – NY Giants 13) |
** Wednesday Night Game (First Wednesday NFL game since 1948)
* Early start due to Republican National Convention
TOP METERED MARKETS FOR STEELERS-PATRIOTS:
|
1. Boston |
39.5/62 |
|
2. Pittsburgh |
34.5/51 |
|
3. Providence |
34.1/51 |
|
4. Baltimore |
24.4/39 |
|
5. Richmond |
23.9/36 |
|
6. Norfolk |
23.4/37 |
|
7. Buffalo |
23.2/37 |
|
8. West Palm Beach |
22.4/39 |
|
9. Cleveland |
21.7/33 |
|
10. Denver |
21.7/38 |
–NBC SPORTS GROUP–
