The NFL opened its Divisional Round weekend with a seven-year viewership low.
Saturday’s Seahawks/Falcons NFC Divisional Round game had a 16.2 final rating and 28.7 million viewers on FOX, down 10% in ratings and 9% in viewership from Chiefs/Patriots on CBS last year (18.1, 31.5M) and down 17% and 16% respectively from Ravens/Patriots on NBC in 2015 (19.6, 34.0M).
The Falcons’ win ranks as the least-watched Divisional Round game, regardless of timeslot, in seven years — since Cardinals/Saints in 2010 (27.9M). It topped only Texans/Patriots on CBS later in the night (16.0) as the lowest rated in the round since 2009.
For FOX, it was the lowest rated NFL playoff game in any round since that 2010 Cardinals/Saints matchup and the least-watched since a Falcons/Giants Wild Card game in 2012 (27.7M). Even so, FOX enters the NFC Championship Game averaging a 39.0 million viewers for NFL playoff coverage — the network’s second-best average through three games behind only 2015 (39.3M). Sunday’s record performance for Cowboys/Packers more than made up for Saturday’s weak showing.
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 1/18)
