NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” topped the World Series head-to-head last week, but the competition put a dent in the numbers.
The Week 8 Saints/Broncos “Sunday Night Football” game drew a 10.7 final rating and 17.730 million viewers on NBC — down 22% in ratings and 23% in viewership from Cowboys/Eagles last year (13.8, 22.994M), and flat and down 2%, respectively, from Saints/Steelers in 2010 (10.7, 18.106M).
The Week 8 game this year and in 2010 aired opposite the World Series. Last year’s game did not face such competition.
Saints/Broncos game beat the clinching Game 4 of the Giants/Tigers World Series head-to-head by 20% in ratings (10.7 to 8.9), 15% in viewership (17.730M to 15.485M) and a whopping 49% in the adults 18-49 demographic (7.0 to 4.7).
This marks the second time in three years that “SNF” has beaten the World Series head-to-head. Last year, the World Series won the head-to-head battle, as NBC’s Colts/Saints game drew a mere 7.6 and 12.465 million.
Despite beating the World Series, Saints/Broncos tied the lowest “SNF” rating of the season and narrowly avoided the season’s smallest audience.
Sunday’s game was only the third of the season on NBC to suffer a decline in ratings or viewership.
For the week, “SNF” ranked as the #2 primetime program on broadcast — trailing “NCIS” on CBS (11.2, 17.777M). In the adults 18-49 demo, the game was the top primetime program.
Ratings/Viewership For “Sunday Night Football”
Through Week 8
| WK # | Date | Away | Home | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wed., 9/5/12 | Cowboys | Giants | NBC |
14.7
|
23,886
|
| Sun., 9/9/12 | Steelers | Broncos | NBC |
16.5
|
27,567
|
|
| 2 | Sun., 9/16/12 | Lions | Niners | NBC |
12.9
|
21,334
|
| 3 | Sun., 9/23/12 | Pats | Ravens | NBC |
12.9
|
21,272
|
| 4 | Sun., 9/30/12 | Giants | Eagles | NBC |
14.1
|
22,765
|
| 5 | Sun., 10/7/12 | Chargers | Saints | NBC |
11.2
|
18,306
|
| 6 | Sun., 10/14/12 | Packers | Texans | NBC |
11.8
|
19,922
|
| 7 | Sun., 10/21/12 | Steelers | Bengals | NBC |
10.7
|
17,469
|
| 8 | Sun., 10/28/12 | Saints | Broncos | NBC |
10.7
|
17,730
|
(Sunday’s numbers from Media Life Magazine)
