On a mixed Sunday for the NFL, FOX delivered a season-high in the overnight ratings.
Sunday’s Week 13 NFL national window, featuring Vikings-Patriots in 90% of markets, had a 15.9 overnight rating on FOX — up 16% from last year (mostly Panthers-Saints: 13.7) but down 4% from 2016 (mostly Giants-Steelers: 16.6).
The 15.9 is the highest overnight rating of the NFL season, surpassing the previous mark of 15.7 for the Week 1 national window (mostly Cowboys-Panthers).
FOX has aired five of the season’s top seven games in the metered markets. New England has played in two of the top three, their Week 9 win over Green Bay ranking third (15.6).
Earlier in the day, regional action featuring Bears-Giants in 46% of markets had a 9.9 overnight — up 19% from last year (mostly Vikings-Falcons: 8.3), up 27% from 2016 (ft. Lions-Saints: 7.8), and a three-year high.
While FOX posted increases for both of its Sunday games, the other networks had no such luck.
NBC drew a 12.3 overnight for the Chargers-Steelers Sunday Night Football game, down 6% from last year (Eagles-Seahawks: 13.1) but up 7% from 2016 (Panthers-Seahawks: 11.5).
The Chargers’ win marked just the third decline in NBC’s last 13 games.
On CBS, singleheader coverage pulled a 9.5 (-3%), the lowest in Week 13 in more than a decade.
[Numbers from Fox Sports PR/Twitter 12.3, Sports Business Daily 12.3]
