NBC hit a three-year high in the metered markets for its Sunday Night Football opener.
The Week 1 Giants/Cowboys Sunday Night Football game drew a 16.7 overnight rating on NBC, up 11% from Colts/Broncos last year (15.1), up a tick from Giants/Cowboys in 2013 (16.6), and the highest for SNF in Week 1 of the season since Steelers/Broncos in 2012 (18.0).
The 16.7 also ranks comfortably ahead of last year’s Giants/Cowboys game on NBC, which took place in Week 12 (14.0). It is the highest for a Sunday night meeting between the rivals since Week 17 in 2011 (17.1).
Sunday Night Football was easily the highest rated NFL telecast of the day in the metered markets, topping the NFL national window on CBS by 14% (14.7). Only the Steelers/Patriots NFL Kickoff Game, which also aired on NBC, drew a higher overnight (17.7).
Dallas was the top market for the Cowboys’ last-second win, with a 35.9 rating. San Antonio (28.5), Albuquerque (24.5), Richmond (24.4) and Austin (23.3) rounded out the top five. New York ranked 12th with a 19.3.
(Sun. numbers from NBC Sports)
