With Peyton Manning on the sidelines, the Colts winless, the Saints merciless, and the World Series providing hefty competition, NBC hit a three-year low in the overnights for Sunday Night Football.
The Week 7 edition of Sunday Night Football, pitting the winless Colts against the Saints, earned an 8.2 overnight rating on NBC — down 49% from Week 7 last year (MIN/GB: 16.0), and down 21% from Week 7 in 2009 (ARI/NYG: 10.4).
The 8.2 overnight is the lowest for a regular season or postseason NFL telecast on NBC since Week 7 of the 2008-09 season (SEA/TB: 7.2).
The Saints won by 55 points, the largest margin of victory for a Sunday night game since NBC acquired the rights for the 2006-07 season.
Sunday’s game was outdrawn head-to-head Game 4 of the Cardinals/Rangers World Series on FOX (10.1). This is a reversal of last year, when the Week 8 Steelers/Saints game (11.8) outdrew Game 4 of the Giants/Rangers World Series (10.4).
It is not unusual for Major League Baseball to beat Sunday Night Football head-to-head. The clinching game of the American League Championship Series fell on a Sunday night in 2007, 2008 and 2009, and topped ‘SNF’ each time.
The 2009 Angels/Yankees Game 6 on FOX drew an 11.4 overnight, topping Cardinals/Giants on NBC (10.4). The 2008 Red Sox/Rays Game 7 on TBS (10.0) outdrew Seahawks/Buccaneers (7.2). Finally, in 2007, Indians/Red Sox Game 7 on FOX (13.5) beat Steelers/Broncos (9.4).
New Orleans led all markets for the Saints’ win, with a 50.9 rating. Indianapolis followed with a 27.1. Norfolk, VA (12.6), Baltimore (12.0) and Richmond, VA (11.8) rounded out the top five.
(This year’s numbers from NBC Sports Group press release via TV By the Numbers; additional information from Turner Sports)
