With last year’s game setting the bar low, Thursday Night Football opened Week 3 of the NFL season with a big increase in ratings and viewership.
The Week 3 Washington/Giants Thursday Night Football game drew a 10.5 final rating and 16.9 million viewers on CBS and NFL Network, up 40% in ratings and 42% in viewership from Buccaneers/Falcons last year (7.5, 11.9M) and up 50% and 52%, respectively, from Chiefs/Eagles on NFL Network and local affiliates in 2013 (7.0, 11.1M).
The Giants’ win earned the fourth-highest rating and viewership in the history of Thursday Night Football (dates back to 2006), trailing Broncos/Chiefs the previous week (12.9, 21.1M), Steelers/Ravens in Week 1 of last season (12.7, 20.8M) and Chargers/Broncos in Week 8 of last season (12.3, 20.2M). Keep in mind it was just the 10th TNF game to air on a broadcast network.
Among adults 18-49, Thursday’s game had a 6.0 rating — up 36% from last year (4.4) and up 50% from 2013 on NFL Network alone (4.0).
Through two games, Thursday Night Football has averaged an 11.8 rating and 19.2 million viewers — up 19% in ratings and 20% in viewership from last year (9.9, 16.0M). The series is still no match for NBC’s primetime NFL coverage, which averaged a 15.5 and 26.8 million through Week 2.
(Thu. numbers from CBS Sports, TV By the Numbers)
