Facing political coverage on the other networks, overnight ratings declined slightly for the 2012-13 NFL season opener.
The 2012 NFL Kickoff Game, pitting the Cowboys against the defending champion Giants, earned a 16.5 overnight rating on NBC Wednesday night — down 4% from Saints/Packers last year (17.2), and down 7% from Vikings/Saints in 2010 (17.7).
Compared to the last NFL opener to air during a political convention, the 16.5 marks a 63% increase from Washington/Giants in 2008 (10.1).
The 2008 Kickoff Game aired at 7 PM ET to avoid competition with Sen. John McCain‘s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Instead of having another disastrous early start this year, the NFL elected to move the Kickoff Game to a Wednesday night to avoid President Barack Obama‘s scheduled acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
Despite the decline, Wednesday’s Kickoff Game ranks as the third-highest rated ever in the metered markets (dates back to 2002), trailing only the last two years.
Still, considering the high-profile matchup, the game would likely have earned better numbers if not for the political competition.
The most recent Cowboys/Giants game on national television — a Week 17 New Year’s Day telecast on NBC last season — earned a 17.1 overnight rating. The previous year, another matchup between the teams drew a 17.6 overnight on FOX.
(Wednesday’s overnight from Sports Business Daily)
