CBS earned one of the lowest overnight ratings of the season for the NFL national window.
The Week 16 NFL national window, featuring Colts/Cowboys in 93% of markets, drew a 14.7 overnight rating on CBS — down a tick from coverage featuring Patriots/Ravens last year (14.8) and down 14% from coverage on FOX featuring Giants/Ravens in 2011 (17.0).
The 14.7 is the fourth-lowest overnight of the season for the NFL national window (16 telecasts), ahead of only coverage in Week 2 (14.6), Week 5 (13.2) and Week 8 (13.0). CBS has aired the four lowest rated national windows in the metered markets.
On paper, the Colts/Cowboys match-up seemed a candidate to rank among the season’s top games. The Cowboys’ blowout win, which included a 42-0 lead late in the fourth, sapped any juice the game might have had.
Earlier in the day, regional action on CBS drew a 12.3 overnight — up 14% from last year (10.8), up 16% from 2012 (10.6), and the highest overnight of the season for the early doubleheader window. The previous high was an 11.6 for coverage in Week 5, also on CBS.
According to Sports Business Daily, the 12.3 is the highest for the early doubleheader game on CBS since 2009.
(Wknd. numbers from Sports Business Daily)
