After five straight weeks of mediocre numbers, Thursday Night Football scored strong numbers for its CBS finale.
The Week 8 Chargers/Broncos Thursday Night Football game drew a 12.3 final rating and 20.2 million viewers on CBS and NFL Network, up 297% and 312%, respectively, from Panthers/Buccaneers on NFL Network and local affiliates last year. Keep in mind last year’s game aired opposite the World Series.
The Broncos’ win ranks as the highest rated and most-watched Thursday Night Football game since the season-debut between the Steelers and Ravens in Week 2 (12.7, 20.8M). None of the intervening games managed to reach a 10.5 rating or 17 million viewers.
Overall, Chargers/Broncos earned the second-highest rating and viewership in Thursday Night Football history (dates back to 2006). The seven highest rated and six most-watched games took place this season. Prior to this season, TNF aired only on NFL Network (and local affiliates in the home markets), which is in tens of millions fewer homes than CBS.
Among adults 18-49, Chargers/Broncos had a 6.7 rating. Last year’s Panthers/Buccaneers game drew a 1.8 in the demo on NFL Network (not including local affiliates).
CBS and NFL Network have averaged a 10.3 rating and 16.5 million viewers for Thursday Night Football this season, up 94% in both measures from last year on NFL Network and local affiliates (3.1, 4.9M). The remaining Thursday night games this season will air exclusively on NFL Network (excluding the Thanksgiving night game on NBC, which is not part of the package). CBS returns for a Saturday night game in December.
(Thu. numbers from CBS Press Express, with additional info from TV By the Numbers)
