The latest edition of Sunday Night Football did better than in previous weeks, but could not match last year.
The Week 11 Patriots/Colts Sunday Night Football game drew an 12.4 final rating and 20.8 million viewers on NBC, down 20% in ratings and 23% in viewership from Chiefs/Broncos last year (15.5, 26.9M) but up 13% and 15%, respectively, from Ravens/Steelers in 2012 (11.0, 18.2M).
The Patriots’ blowout win had the season’s biggest decline in ratings and viewership on NBC and was the network’s fourth telecast in the past six weeks to decline by double-digits in both measures.
Keep in mind last year’s Chiefs/Broncos game provided an unusually high bar to pass, ranking among the most-watched NFL telecasts on NBC since the network reacquired rights. While it was NBC’s top game in nearly a month — since 49ers/Broncos in Week 7 (13.8, 23.8M) — that is more a function of how soft the recent slate has been. NBC has aired eight straight blowouts.
UPDATE 12/1: Originally, this post reported that the Week 11 SNF game drew an 11.9 and 19.9 million viewers. That data reflected live viewing, not the live+same day viewership that is usually reported.
Among adults 18-49, the game drew a 7.1 rating — down 28% from last year (9.9) but up 3% from 2012 (6.9).
(Sun. numbers from Media Life Magazine)
