The season’s first Thursday Night Football game exclusively on NFL Network was less of a draw.
The Week 4 Dolphins/Bengals Thursday Night Football game had a 4.8 final rating and 7.9 million viewers on NFL Network, down 13% in ratings and 10% in viewership from the first game to air exclusively on the channel last season, Browns/Bengals in Week 9 (5.5, 8.8M). Compared to the first such game in 2014, ratings increased 14% (from 4.2) and viewership 15% (from 6.9M) from Saints/Panthers, also in Week 9.
Compared to Week 4 last year, ratings and viewership both declined 59% from Ravens/Steelers on CBS and NFL Network (11.8, 19.4M).
The Bengals’ win ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched NFL game of the season, but just barely. Monday’s Falcons/Saints matchup on ESPN, which aired opposite the first presidential debate, had a slightly higher 4.9 and 8.0 million.
Keep in mind figures do not include streaming viewership on the NFL’s mobile platforms. With those numbers included, the game had 8.0 million. In addition, the numbers also do not include local affiliate simulcasts in Miami and Cincinnati.
In adults 18-49, TNF scored a 3.0 rating — down a tick from Bengals/Browns last year (3.1) but up 30% from 2014 (2.3).
(Thu. numbers via Programming Insider 9/30, NFL Communications 9/30)
