Though up only slightly from last year, last week’s Super Bowl rematch generated strong numbers for CBS.
The Week 3 NFL national window, featuring Broncos/Seahawks in 89% of markets, drew a 15.8 final rating and 27.3 million viewers on CBS last Sunday — up 3% in ratings and 7% in viewership from coverage featuring Colts/49ers last year (15.4, 25.6M) and up 10% and 14%, respectively, from coverage featuring Texans/Broncos in 2012 (14.4, 24.0M).
The telecast ranks as the highest rated and second-most watched NFL window this season, trailing only the Week 1 national window on FOX in the latter category. Overall, the 15.8 rating is the highest for any NFL telecast in Week 3 of the season since Eagles/Cowboys on ABC’s Monday Night Football in 1997 (17.4).
Already this season, three NFL telecasts have topped the World Cup final in July (26.5M) — the top non-NFL sporting event of the year.
Sunday’s telecast was the top NFL draw of the week, as should be expected. NBC’s Sunday Night Football finished well behind with an 11.8 and 19.8 million viewers. As CBS noted in a Wednesday press release, the national window has outperformed SNF by 19% in ratings and 21% in viewership this season.
The early game of the doubleheader had an 8.7 and 14.5 million viewers, up 42% in ratings from last year (6.1) and down 4% and 1%, respectively, from 2012 (9.0, 14.7M). Last year’s viewership was not available.
UPDATED 9/27: Final numbers for early game added.
(Sun. rating/viewers from CBS Press Express, Nielsen)
