After overnights showed a slight drop, Thursday Night Football ended up with modest increases in ratings and viewership.
The Week 7 Seahawks/49ers Thursday Night Football game drew a 10.5 final rating and 17.1 million viewers on CBS and NFL Network, up 4% in ratings and 6% in viewership from Jets/Patriots last year (10.1, 16.1M) and up 150% and 152%, respectively, from Seahawks/Cardinals on NFL Network and local affiliate sin 2013 (4.2, 6.8M).
Ratings and viewership peaked at an 11.1 and 18.2 million from 9-9:30 PM ET, before halftime. The Seahawks took a 17-0 lead going into the break and won 20-3.
Thursday’s game ended a brief two-week streak of declines for TNF. Dating back to last year, 12 of the 14 TNF games simulcast on CBS have had an increase in ratings and viewership — with the caveat that last year’s increases were due almost entirely to the addition of broadcast network exposure.
Among adults 18-49, Seahawks/49ers scored a 5.9 rating — up 9% from last year (5.4).
Thursday Night Football has now averaged a 10.8 rating and 17.6 million viewers this season, up 8% in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year (10.0, 16.1M) and up 93% and 96%, respectively, from 2013 on NFL Network and local affiliates (5.6, 9.0M).
(Thu. numbers from CBS Sports, with additional info from TV Media Insights)
