NBC hit a season-low for last week’s edition of Sunday Night Football.
The Week 4 Ravens/Jets Sunday Night Football game earned an 11.5 final rating and 18.900 million viewers on NBC last Sunday, down 8% in ratings and 10% in viewership from last year (CHI/NYG: 12.5, 20.929M), but up 5% and 3%, respectively, from 2009 (SD/PIT: 11.0, 18.416M).
The game ranks as the lowest rated, least-viewed NFL telecast of the season on NBC (five telecasts). Ratings and viewership have dropped from game-to-game this season.
For the week, Sunday Night Football ranked behind both the NFL national window on CBS (DEN/GB*: 13.6, 23.014M) and the NFL singleheader on FOX (DET/DAL*: 14.0, 23.308M). This marks the first time since Week 6 last year that Sunday Night Football has trailed the singleheader window.
Compared to other programs on broadcast, Ravens/Jets ranked third for the week in ratings and viewership, and first among adults 18-49 (7.7).
Despite the lower numbers, NBC has had a strong season so far. Through Week 4, the network averaged a 13.9 rating and 23.2 million viewers — up 1% in ratings and viewership from last year (13.7, 22.9M).
The average viewership is the highest since NBC resumed airing NFL games in the 2006-07 season.
Last year’s Week 16 Sunday Night Football game drew fewer viewers than the NFL singleheader. However, that game aired on a Tuesday night after being rescheduled from Sunday.
(Asterisk indicates featured game of regional window. Numbers from Nielsen, with additional information from NBC Sports Group press release via TV By the Numbers)
