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SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL is Top Rated Show of Primetime Season

By: Jan. 05, 2011
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"Sunday Night Football" finished the season as the No. 1 show in primetime (Viewers 2+, all key adult and male demos), the first time on record (since the advent of people meters in 1987) that a sports series has been the most-watched show from the start of the primetime TV season to the end of the NFL regular season, and defeated its nightly competition every week this season according to The Nielsen Company. 

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"Nearly six years ago we worked with the NFL to create 'Football Night in America' - a night that America would reserve for football and over the five football seasons since, we have steadily built that night," said Dick Ebersol, Chairman NBC Universal Sports and Olympics.  "Thanks in large part to the incredible unscripted drama generated each week by the NFL and its players, the terrific schedule that the league has afforded us, our production team and on-camera talent whose passion and dedication translates into an unmatched viewing experience, and our broad promotion that reaches the casual fan, I am proud to say that "Sunday Night Football" has become No.1 show on primetime television."

"SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

  • SNF was the No. 1 show all 18 nights this season vs. its competition (16 Sundays, one Tuesday and one Thursday), averaging 21.8 million viewers (based on most current Nielsen figures), a gain of 12 percent from last year (19.4 million) and the best viewership for the NFL's premier primetime broadcast package in 14 years.

 

  • "Sunday Night Football's" 13.0 household rating and 21 share for the 2010 season is 11 percent higher last year (11.7/19) and the best household rating for the NFL's premier primetime package in more than a decade.

 

  • In the five years since the shift of the NFL's premier primetime package from Monday to Sunday nights, SNF is averaging 21.8 million viewers, more than five million more viewers than the last season of Monday Night Football on ABC (16.2 million in 2005).

 

  • "Football Night in America" averaged 8.3 million viewers this season, up 12 percent over last season (7.4 million) and its best viewership ever.

In addition to the gains seen by "Sunday Night Football" on NBC in 2010, all of the NFL television partners (Fox, CBS, ESPN and NFL Network) will show increased viewership for the 2010 season.  This marks the third year in a row that all NFL television partners have seen viewership increases.  Final viewership numbers from Nielsen will be available later this week. 

SNF NO. 1 PRIMETIME PROGRAM FOR SEASON: For the primetime television season, "Sunday Night Football" ranked as the most-watched show (persons 2+) and the No. 1 program across the key demographics of Adults 18-49, 18-34, 25-54 as well as Men 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54, based on Nielsen live + same day data.  Additionally, SNF is the No. 3 show among Women 18-34 behind only Grey's Anatomy and Glee, and, remarkably, No. 3 among Women 18-49 behind only Dancing with the Stars and Grey's Anatomy.

SNF FINISHES SEASON UNDEFEATED: This season, "Sunday Night Football" was the No. 1 show all 18 nights (100 percent) vs. its competition (16 Sundays, one Tuesday and one Thursday). Last season, SNF was the most-watched Sunday night primetime broadcast in a then-record 15 of 16 (94 percent) weeks. In 2008, SNF won 13 of 16 (81 percent) Sunday nights after winning 11 of 16 in 2007 (69 percent) and nine of 16 in 2006 (56 percent).

SNF FINAL AVERAGE VIEWERSHIP: "Sunday Night Football" averaged 21.8 million viewers for the 2010 season, the most in its five-year history, 2.4 million more than last year (19.4 million) and 5.2 million more than 2008 (16.6 million).  Additionally, the 21.8 million is the most for the NFL's premier primetime package (SNF on NBC 2006-2010, MNF on ABC 1970-2005) since 1996 (22.7 million).  The final average household rating of 13.0/21 is the best ever for "Sunday Night Football," 11-percent higher than last year's 11.7/19 and 27 percent ahead of 2008 (10.2/16).

             Viewers 2+    HH rtg.
1. 2010, 21.8 million, 13.0/21
2. 2009, 19.4 million, 11.7/19
3. 2006, 17.5 million, 11.0/18
4. 2008, 16.6 million, 10.2/16
5. 2007, 16.0 million, 10.0/16

NBC PRIMETIME GAMES WITH 20 MILLION-OR-MORE VIEWERS: This season, 11 NBC primetime NFL games surpassed 20 million viewers, the most in NBC's five-year "Sunday Night Football" history. In 2009 there were seven to surpass 20 million and in 2006-2008 a total of six games reached that milestone.

2010 - 11
2009 - 7
2008 - 2
2007 - 1
2006 - 3

MOST WATCHED "SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" GAMES: Seven of the Top 10 most-watched "Sunday Night Football" games ever took place this season.

1. 12/12/10, Eagles-Cowboys, 25.73 million (SNF Week 14)
2. 10/24/10, Vikings-Packers, 25.68 million (Favre Return to Lambeau II)
3. 9/12/10, Cowboys-Redskins, 25.3 million (SNF: Week 1)
4. 9/20/09, Giants-Cowboys, 24.8 million (Dallas Cowboys Stadium Debut)
5. 12/19/10, Packers-Patriots, 24.2 million (SNF Week 15)
6. 12/28/10, Vikings-Eagles, 23.7 million (SNF Week 16 - Tuesday Game)
7. 11/21/10, Giants-Eagles, 23.2 million (SNF: Week 11)
T8. 09/19/10, Giants-Colts, 23.1 million ("Manning Bowl II")
T8. 12/14/08, Giants-Cowboys, 23.1 million
10. 9/10/06, Colts-Giants, 22.6 million (Original "Manning Bowl")

*The NFL Kickoff Opener on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010 between The Vikings and Saints generated an average viewership of 27.5 million people.

"FOOTBALL NIGHT" DRAWS RECORD AUDIENCE: The critically acclaimed "Football Night in America," had its best season ever, drawing a record 8.3 million viewers (7:30-8:15 p.m. ET), a gain of 12 percent over last season (7.4 million), 32 percent over 2008 (6.3 million), 34 percent over 2007 (6.2 million) and 28 percent over 2006 (6.5 million).

MORE ARE WATCHING NFL FOOTBALL ON SUNDAY NIGHTS: In the five years since the shift of the NFL's premier primetime package from Monday to Sunday nights, "Sunday Night Football" is averaging 5.6 million more viewers (21.8 million) than the last season of Monday Night Football on ABC in 2005 (16.2 million). 

"NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" TOP 20 METERED MARKETS

FULL 2010 SEASON:
1. New Orleans, 25.0/34
2. Milwaukee, 21.9/33
3. Las Vegas, 20.8/31
4. Pittsburgh, 20.3/30
5. Norfolk, 20.2/29
6. Indianapolis, 19.7/29
7. Baltimore, 18.9/29
T8. Minneapolis, 18.5/28
T8. Richmond, 18.5/28
10. Philadelphia, 18.4/27
11. Nashville, 17.8/25
12. Washington, D.C., 17.7/28
13. San Diego, 17.2/28
14. Dallas, 17.0/27
15. Albuquerque, 16.0/24
T16. Charlotte, 15.3/24
T16. Kansas City, 15.3/23
18. Chicago, 15.0/23
T19. St. Louis, 14.7/22
T19. Ft. Myers, 14.7/23


WEEK 17 RAMS-SEAHAWKS NOTES: Sunday night's Rams-Seahawks SNF game, in which the Seattle Seahawks defeated the St. Louis Rams 16-6 in a 'win-and-in' contest to clinch the NFC West title, drew 19.4 million viewers, 19 percent ahead of last year's Week 17 game (Bengals-Jets, 16.3 million) and was the most-watched season-ending game in 13 years (Patriots-Dolphins, 21.8 million in 1997 on ABC).

The 11.3/18 national rating for Sunday night's game is 13 percent ahead of last year's Week 17 SNF game (Bengals-Jets, 10.0/15).

SNF TOP 2 SHOWS OF WEEK: For the week ending Jan. 2, 2011, the two most-watched shows on primetime television were both NFL primetime games on NBC with the special Tuesday edition of "Sunday Night Football" ranking No. 1 with 23.7 million and Sunday's Rams-Seahawks game ranking No. 2 at 19.4 million.

NFL SEASON-ENDING GAME VIEWERSHIP SINCE 1997

2010            1/2/2011          NBC            StL-Sea      21.8 million
2009            1/3/2010          NBC            Cin-NYJ      16.3 million
2008            12/28/2008      NBC            Den-SD       14.8 million
2007            12/30/2007      NBC            Ten-Ind       15.8 million
2006            12/31/2006      NBC            GB-Chi        13.4 million
2005            1/1/2006          ESPN            StL-DAL      9.1 million
2004            1/2/205            ESPN            Dal-NYG     8.6 million
2003            12/28/2003      ESPN            Pit-Bal        10.4 million
2002            12/30/2002      ABC            SF-StL          13.1 million
2001            1/7/2002          ABC            Min-Bal       18.8 million
2000            12/25/2000      ABC            Dal-Ten       17.3 million
1999            1/3/2000          ABC            SF-Atl         14.8 million
1998            12/28/1998      ABC            Pit-Jax         16.8 million
1997            12/22/1997      ABC            NE-Mia         21.8 million

TOP METERED MARKETS FOR RAMS-SEAHAWKS:

  1. St. Louis, 38.7/53
  2. Seattle, 35.4/58
  3. New Orleans, 22.9/31
  4. Las Vegas, 20.1/29
  5. Oklahoma City, 19.0/27
  6. Tulsa, 18.3/24
  7. Baltimore, 16.7/25
  8. Milwaukee, 16.0/24
  9. Portland, 15.6/26
  10. Norfolk, 15.4/22

 



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