Opposite Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, NFL football sunk to a prime time record low on NBC.
Sunday Night Football, featuring the Seahawks versus the Buccaneers, drew a 7.2/11 overnight rating on NBC, down 23% from a 9.4/14 for Steelers/Broncos last year, and the lowest overnight rating ever for a prime time NFL game on broadcast television.
Several factors were likely at play. The first, and most important: the home market, Tampa/St. Petersburg, was otherwise occupied with the Rays’ Game 7 win. In Tampa, the Rays game on cable drew a 27.0/40, while the Bucs’ game drew a 16.8/24. Additionally, the Seahawks were sporting a 1-4 record entering the game. In fact, the game was so lacking marquee status that NBC saw fit to let John Madden stay home.
Ratings for the Rays/Red Sox Game 7 are unavailable, but it is entirely possible that the game topped Seahawks/Buccaneers. Game 6 on Saturday night, the lowest rated night of the week, drew a 5.4 rating and 8.9 million viewers on TBS. It is conceivable that a Sunday night Game 7 could have drawn well over 10 million viewers.
