The presence of the Dallas Cowboys helped Sunday Night Football to its second-highest numbers of the season.
Sunday night’s Cowboys/Eagles game drew a 13.1/21 final rating and 21.9 million viewers on NBC, up 24% in ratings and 31% in viewers from Patriots/Colts during Week 9 last year (10.6/16, 16.7 mil), and up 28% and 33%, respectively, from Cowboys/Eagles during Week 9 in ’07 (10.2/16, 16.5 mil).
Cowboys/Eagles stands as the second-highest rated and second-most viewed Sunday Night Football game of the season, behind only Giants/Cowboys in Week 2 (15.1/25, 24.8 mil).
The game is also the 5th-most viewed Sunday Night Football telecast since NBC resumed its NFL coverage in ’06.
Through Week 9, NBC is averaging an 11.8 rating and 19.5 million viewers for SNF, up 19% and 22%, respectively, from a 9.9 and 16 million through the same point last year. The 19.5 million viewers is NBC’s highest average through Week 9 of the NFL season since the net resumed airing games in ’06, topping the previous high of 17.8 million (2006) by 10%.
Sunday Night Football ranks as the top primetime television program in total viewers, adults 18-49 (7.7), adults 18-34 (6.8), adults 25-54 (8.3) and all key male demos.
Ratings/viewership for Sunday Night Football through Week 9
| Date | Game | Net | Rating | vs. ’08 | Viewers | vs. ’08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 9/10/09 | Titans/Steelers | NBC |
12.8
|
49%
|
20.9 mil
|
55%
|
| Sun., 9/13/09 | Bears/Packers | NBC |
12.6
|
13%
|
21.1 mil
|
15%
|
| Sun., 9/20/09 | Giants/Cowboys | NBC |
15.1
|
40%
|
24.8 mil
|
39%
|
| Sun., 9/27/09 | Colts/Cardinals | NBC |
10.7
|
-20%
|
17.5 mil
|
-20%
|
| Sun., 10/4/09 | Chargers/Steelers | NBC |
11.0
|
2%
|
18.4 mil
|
6%
|
| Sun., 10/11/09 | Titans/Colts | NBC |
9.7
|
10%
|
16.0 mil
|
13%
|
| Sun., 10/18/09 | Falcons/Bears | NBC |
10.9
|
33%
|
18.2 mil
|
39%
|
| Sun., 10/25/09 | Cardinals/Giants | NBC |
9.1
|
44%
|
15.0 mil
|
50%
|
| Sun., 11/8/09 | Cowboys/Eagles | NBC |
13.1
|
24%
|
21.9 mil
|
31%
|
Sources: Fang’s Bites, Sports Business Daily
