CBS earned one of the largest NFL audiences of the season for Sunday’s NFL national window.
The Week 15 NFL national window, which featured Steelers/Cowboys in most markets, earned a 16.2 final rating and 26.9 million viewers on CBS — down 8% in ratings and 9% in viewership from coverage featuring Patriots/Broncos last year (17.6, 29.7M), but up 8% and 5%, respectively, from coverage featuring Jets/Steelers in 2010 (15.0, 25.8M).
The telecast marked the ninth time in fifteen telecasts this season that the NFL national window has had a decline in ratings and viewership.
With that said, Sunday’s telecast ranks as the fifth-most viewed of the NFL season on any network. Three of the five most-viewed games this season have involved the Cowboys in the featured game.
As usual, the NFL national window outdrew “Sunday Night Football” on NBC. After “SNF” won the ratings battle in three of the first four weeks, the national window has been the top draw ever since.
5 Most-Viewed NFL Games
2012 regular season
|
#
|
Date
|
Featured Game |
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Away
|
Home | |||||
|
1
|
Thu., 11/22/12 | Washington | Cowboys | FOX |
13.5
|
28.7M
|
|
2
|
Sun., 9/9/12 | Steelers | Broncos | NBC |
16.5
|
27.6M
|
|
3
|
Thu., 11/22/12 | Texans | Lions | CBS |
13.9
|
27.3M
|
| 4 | Sun., 10/28/12 | Giants | Cowboys | FOX |
16.0
|
26.9M
|
| 5 | Sun., 12/16/12 | Steelers | Cowboys | CBS |
16.2
|
26.9M
|
(Sunday’s numbers from NFL Communications, with additional information from TV Media Insights)
