Week 3 NFL overnight ratings included a big increase on FOX, a network-high for CBS, and a modest dip for Sunday Night Football.
Sunday’s NFL national window, featuring Saints-Seahawks in 63% of markets, averaged a 14.2 overnight rating on CBS — the highest for the network’s first late game of the season since Week 1 in 2015 (mostly Ravens-Broncos: 14.7). Overnights increased 1% from the first such window last season, which aired in Week 2 (mostly Patriots-Jaguars: 14.0).
Compared to Week 3 last year, overnights fell 7% from a 15.3 for coverage on FOX featuring Cowboys-Seahawks.
Earlier in the day, CBS averaged a 9.3 for the first half of its doubleheader, which featured Ravens-Chiefs in 65% of markets — up 3% from last year on FOX (mostly 49ers-Chiefs: 9.0), but down 7% from 2017 on CBS (10.0).
The competing NFL singleheader on FOX, featuring Broncos-Packers (32%) and Dolphins-Cowboys (21%), averaged an 11.6 — the highest in Week 3 since 2016 (mostly Washington-NY Giants: 12.2). Overnights increased 40% from last year on CBS (8.3) and 13% from 2017 on FOX (mostly Giants-Eagles: 10.3).
All five NFL windows on FOX this season have increased over last year, making it the only NFL broadcaster that has not posted a decline yet.
NBC’s Sunday Night Football, which traveled to Cleveland for the first time since 2008, averaged a 12.8 for Rams-Browns — down 6% from last year (Patriots-Lions: 13.6), but up 10% from 2017 (mostly Oakland-Washington: 11.6). Versus the Browns 2008 SNF appearance, against the Steelers in Week 2, overnights rose 8% from an 11.9.
[Numbers from NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Fox Sports; CBS regional splits from Sports Business Daily 9.23]
