Another lopsided Thursday Night Football game produced big increases but relatively low numbers.
The Week 4 Giants/Washington Thursday Night Football game drew a 10.2 final rating and 16.3 million viewers on CBS and NFL Network, up 92% in ratings and 96% in viewership from 49ers/Rams on NFL Network and local affiliates last year (5.3, 8.3M). The Giants’ 31-point win earned the second-highest rating and viewership ever for TNF (dates back to 2006), with the caveat that every game aired on NFL Network alone until this season.
Compared to NBC’s Sunday Night Football — the other primetime NFL package on broadcast TV — Thursday’s numbers were mediocre. No Sunday night game has drawn as small an audience since Colts/Saints in 2011, a 62-0 rout that drew 12.5 million viewers opposite the World Series.
Giants/Washington still fared better than Buccaneers/Falcons the previous week, which drew a smaller audience than every Sunday night game since 2008.
Among adults 18-49, Thursday’s game had a 6.0 rating. Last year’s 49ers/Rams telecast had a 3.2 on NFL Network, not including local affiliates.
Through Week 3, Thursday Night Football has averaged a 10.0 rating and 16.1 million viewers on CBS and NFL Network — up 56% and 59%, respectively, from last year’s 6.4 and 10.1 million on NFL Network and local affiliates.
(Thu. numbers from CBS Press Express, additional info from TV By the Numbers)
