NBC scored its second-largest NFL audience since resuming coverage of the league nine years ago.
The Week 12 Bears/Packers NFL Thanksgiving special drew a 13.8 rating and 27.8 million viewers on NBC, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 21% in ratings and 22% in viewership from Seahawks/49ers last year (11.4, 22.9M), up 25% and 32%, respectively, from Steelers/Ravens in 2013 (11.0, 21.1M), and the highest rated and most-watched primetime game on the holiday.
The previous highs for the primetime Thanksgiving window were set by last year’s Seahawks/49ers game. Since 2007, when Cardinals/Eagles had just 3.8 million on NFL Network, ratings and viewership for the window have increased each year.
Beyond the holiday, the Bears’ win ranks as the second-most watched NFL regular season game on NBC since the network resumed coverage in 2006 — trailing only Cowboys/Washington in Week 17 of the 2012 season (30.3M). Though known for Sunday Night Football, five of the network’s ten most-watched games have aired on Thursday nights.
Other than Cowboys/Washington in 2012, no primetime regular season game has had as large an audience in the past 19 years — since Packers/Cowboys on ABC in November 1996 (31.5M).
For the season, Thursday’s game ranks fourth in viewership among all NFL telecasts. Only Panthers/Cowboys earlier in the day (32.5M), Seahawks/Cowboys in Week 8 (29.4M) and coverage featuring Patriots/Giants in Week 10 (28.3M) had more viewers. Keep in mind viewership was not immediately available for Thursday’s Eagles/Lions game on FOX.
Among adults 18-49, Bears/Packers delivered a 9.0 rating — up 22% from last year (7.4) and up 30% from 2013 (6.9). The last time the Bears and Packers played a holiday game on NBC, Christmas night 2011, the matchup had a 7.7 in the demo and a 12.6 and 24.0 million overall.
(Thu. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
