The NFL season got off to a near-record start on NBC.
The Steelers/Patriots NFL Kickoff Game drew a 16.2 final rating and 27.4 million viewers on NBC, up 3% in ratings and 1% in viewership from Packers/Seahawks last year (15.7, 27.1M*) and up 9% in both measures from Ravens/Broncos in 2013 (14.9, 25.1M). Ratings and viewership peaked at a 17.5 and 30.2 million from 9:15-9:30 PM ET.
The Patriots’ win, which came after a full offseason of controversy surrounding the team, ranks as the highest rated and most-watched Kickoff Game since Vikings/Saints in 2010 (16.5, 27.5M).
Overall, it trails only Vikings/Saints as the highest rated and most-watched Kickoff Game ever (14 telecasts dating back to 2002). This is only the third time that the Kickoff Game has topped a 16.0 rating and and the fourth that it has topped 27 million viewers.
In the adults 18-49 demographic, the game had a 10.3 rating — up a tick from last year and even with 2013.
Compared to other sports, Steelers/Patriots drew a higher rating than all-but-one non-NFL event this year — the Ohio State/Oregon College Football National Championship (18.6). It ranks further down in viewership, trailing all three games of the College Football Playoff and the Duke/Wisconsin NCAA title game (28.3M).
* According to NBC, last year’s Packers/Seahawks game had a 15.7 rating and 27.1 million viewers. Reports at the time, however, showed that the game had a 15.5 and 26.9 million.
(Thu. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box, with additional info from TV Media Insights)
