FOX scored big numbers for the blockbuster Cowboys/Eagles matchup.
The Week 2 Cowboys/Eagles NFL national window drew a 15.5 final rating and 27.2 million viewers on FOX, up 8% in ratings and 9% in viewership from coverage featuring Chiefs/Broncos last year (14.4, 24.9M) and down 2% and up 3%, respectively, from coverage featuring the Broncos/Giants ‘Manning Bowl’ in 2013 (15.8, 26.4M). Those telecasts aired on CBS.
The Cowboys’ win ranks as the most-watched NFL telecast in Week 2 of the season since at least 2000. The previous high over that span was 27.0 million for Patriots/Jets on CBS in 2010. It was one of two games to hit a milestone Sunday; NBC’s Seahawks/Packers game was the most-watched primetime Week 2 game since 1991.
Cowboys/Eagles scored the second-highest rating and viewership of the young season, trailing only the Steelers/Patriots Kickoff Game on NBC (16.2, 27.4M). In just two weeks, four NFL telecasts have topped a 15.0 rating and 26.0 million viewers — matching the total from the first six weeks of last season.
The game had a 9.5 rating among adults 18-49, up 11% from last year (8.6) and up 4% from 2013 (9.1). It trailed Seahawks/Packers in the demo, which had a 9.7.
UPDATE 9/26: In the early window, regional action featuring Falcons/Giants in 32% of markets had 15.3 million viewers — up 17% from last year (13.1M) and up 23% from 2013 (12.5M), both on CBS. The rating was not available.
(Sun. numbers via TV Media Insights; additional info from Sports Business Daily)
