With both Peyton Manning and the Colts struggling this season, there was less interest in the QB’s second return to Indianapolis.
The Week 9 Broncos/Colts NFL national window drew a 14.3 final rating and 24.0 million viewers on CBS last Sunday, down 15% in ratings and 18% in viewership from coverage featuring Broncos/Patriots last year (16.8, 29.1M) and flat in both measures compared to 2013, when coverage featured Steelers/Patriots.
Ratings and viewership also declined 10% and 11%, respectively, from Manning’s first return to Indianapolis two years ago (15.9, 26.9M). That game aired on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
The Colts’ close win scored the third-lowest rating and viewership for the national window this season, ahead of only Week 1 (13.5, 23.3M) and Week 3 (12.9, 22.1M), also on CBS. Four of the five national window telecasts on CBS have declined this season, compared to just one of the four on FOX.
Despite the lower numbers, the game still ranked as the highest rated and most-watched NFL telecast of the week — topping Eagles/Cowboys on NBC (13.6, 23.0M). The national window has been the most-watched NFL telecast in eight of nine weeks this season and the highest rated in seven. The adults 18-49 demographic was a different story, as Broncos/Colts trailed Eagles/Cowboys by a full point (8.4 to 7.4).
UPDATE 11/13: The early doubleheader window drew an 8.1 and 13.2 million, up 40% in ratings and 42% in viewership from last year (5.8, 9.3M) and down 6% and 5%, respectively, from 2013 (8.6, 13.8M).
(Sun. numbers via TV Media Insights, with additional info from Sports Business Daily)
