Patriots/Colts was just the latest big draw for NBC Sunday Night Football, which is averaging the most viewers for an NFL primetime package in over a decade.
Sunday’s Patriots/Colts game drew a 13.7/21 final rating and 22.4 million viewers on NBC, up 25% and 27%, respectively, from last year’s comparable Giants/Eagles game (11.0/18, 17.6 mil). The game was the second most-viewed NFL telecast of Week 10, behind only the national window on FOX (15.9/29, 26.7 mil).
Patriots/Colts ranks as the second-highest rated, second-most viewed Sunday Night Football game of the season, behind only Giants/Cowboys in Week 2 (15.1, 24.8 mil), and ahead of the previous #2 game — last week’s Cowboys/Eagles matchup (13.1, 21.9 mil).
Additionally, the game stands as the fourth-most viewed regular season NFL telecast on NBC since the network resumed airing games in ’06. Overall, 5 of the 10 most-viewed regular season games on NBC since ’06 have taken place this season.
Through Week 10, NBC is averaging a 12.0/19 rating and 19.8 million viewers for Sunday Night Football, up 20% and 22%, respectively, from a 10.0 and 16.2 million through Week 10 last season.
The 19.8 million viewers is the most for an NFL primetime package through this point in the season since ’97, when Monday Night Football on ABC averaged 20.6 million.This marks the first time in the decade that an NFL primetime package has averaged at least 19 million viewers through Week 10 of the season.
Since the start of the NFL season, Sunday Night Football ranks as the highest rated, most-viewed program on television. Additionally, SNF is the top program among adults 18-49 (7.8), 18-34 (6.9) and 25-54 (8.4), as well as all key male demos.
Viewership for NFL primetime broadcast package since ’97
* Sunday Night Football from ’06-’09; Monday Night Football from ’97-’05
Source: Fang’s Bites
