At least for a night, the Cowboys ceded their “America’s team” label to the Chicago Cubs.
The Week 8 Eagles/Cowboys Sunday Night Football game earned an 11.6 overnight rating on NBC, down 19% from Packers/Broncos last year (14.3) but up 2% from Packers/Saints in 2014 (11.4). The 11.6 is tied as the second-lowest for the Cowboys on SNF since the series moved to NBC in 2006, matching a 17-0 shutout of Washington in 2009 and ahead of only another matchup with the Eagles in 2007.
The Cowboys’ overtime win aired directly opposite Game 5 of the World Series, which saw the Cubs win to keep their season alive. That game had a 15.3 overnight, the highest for a Sunday night baseball game since SNF began competing with the World Series in 2010.
In seven head-to-head meetings between SNF and the World Series, Sunday marked just the third time that baseball has come out ahead in the metered markets. In 2011, the World Series topped a Colts/Saints blowout 10.1 to 8.4. In 2013, baseball edged Packers/Vikings 10.5 to 9.9 — though the NFL finished on top in the final nationals.
Overnight ratings have now declined for all nine NFL telecasts on NBC this season, with Sunday’s game just the second to avoid a multi-year low. SNF has had less than a 12.0 overnight in five consecutive weeks, compared to just three such occurrences all of last season. Keep in mind SNF has faced unusually harsh competition this season, from Sunday’s World Series game to a presidential debate earlier in the month.
Dallas-Ft. Worth led all markets Sunday night with a 34.9 rating, followed by Philadelphia (32.8). Cowboys secondary markets San Antonio (26.3) and Austin, TX (21.4) ranked third and fourth, with Albuquerque the top neutral market at a 19.8.
(Sun. numbers from NBC)
