It was not much of a game, but Chiefs/Texans delivered one of the best audiences in years for a Saturday afternoon Wild Card game.
Saturday’s Chiefs/Texans NFL Wild Card Game earned a 14.7 rating and 25.2 million viewers on ESPN and ABC, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 15% in ratings and 13% in viewership from Cardinals/Panthers on ESPN and local affiliates last year (12.8, 22.2M) but down 8% and 9%, respectively, from Chiefs/Colts on NBC in 2014 (16.0, 27.6M).
The Chiefs’ 30-0 win earned the third-largest audience for a Saturday afternoon Wild Card Game since 1999, behind Chiefs/Colts in ’14 and Saints/Seahawks in 2011 (28.3M), and the fourth-highest rating since 2001.
The last Wild Card shutout — Panthers 23, Giants 0 on FOX in 2006 — had a higher rating (15.1) but fewer viewers (22.8M) on FOX. The last Saturday afternoon Wild Card shutout — Jets 41, Colts 0 on ABC in 2003 — had a 13.0 and 19.7 million.
Ratings and viewership peaked at a 16.0 and 27.8 million from 5:30-6 PM ET and 6:30-7 PM ET, respectively. None of the above-mentioned figures include viewership on the WatchESPN app, which averaged 138,000 viewers per minute.
(Sat. numbers from ESPN)
