Flex scheduling did not help CBS or NBC in Week 16 of the NFL season.
The Week 16 NFL national window, featuring Patriots/Ravens in 65% of markets, drew a 14.8 overnight rating on CBS Sunday afternoon — down 13% from coverage on FOX featuring Giants/Ravens last year (17.0), and up a tick from coverage on FOX featuring Eagles/Cowboys in 2011 (14.7). The 2011 afternoon games aired on a Saturday.
The 14.8 overnight is tied as the second-lowest of the season for the NFL national window, ahead of only coverage in Week 3 (14.6). Patriots/Ravens, it should be noted, was originally slated for “Sunday Night Football” before being ‘flexed’ into the 4:25 PM ET window.
Bears/Eagles replaced Patriots/Ravens on “SNF” on NBC, earning a 12.5 overnight — down a tick from both 49ers/Seahawks last year (12.6) and Bears/Packers on Christmas night in 2011 (12.6).
In a not-infrequent occurrence, “SNF” was outdrawn by the NFL singleheader window.
Coverage on FOX featuring Saints/Panthers or Giants/Lions earned a 13.3 overnight, up 15% from coverage on CBS last year (11.6), and up 51% from coverage on CBS in 2011 (8.8).
The singleheader was one of two NFL telecasts to have an increase in Week 16, along with the CBS early window (10.8, +2%).
Wrapping up the Week 16 slate, ESPN’s Falcons/49ers “Monday Night Football” finale earned an 8.5 overnight — up 29% from Falcons/Lions on a Saturday night last year (6.6), but down 11% from Falcons/Saints in 2011 (9.5). The 8.5 is the fourth-lowest of the season for a Monday night game.
(Week 16 overnights from Sports Business Daily, ESPN)
