Like its competitors NBC and FOX, CBS drew strong ratings for NFL Wild Card Weekend.
Sunday’s Ravens/Patriots Wild Card game drew a 16.9 final rating and 27.4 million viewers on CBS, up 13% in ratings and 15% in viewership from Ravens/Dolphins on CBS last year (15.0, 23.9 mil), and up 12% and 19%, respectively, from Giants/Buccaneers on FOX in ’08 (15.1, 23 mil).
Ravens/Patriots stands as the highest rated early Sunday Wild Card game since Jets/Patriots in ’07 (17.3). By comparison, the other three Wild Card games were the highest rated in their respective windows since either ’99 or ’00.
Overall, NFL Wild Card Weekend averaged 29.9 million viewers across NBC, FOX and CBS, up 16% from last year (25.8 mil), and the most-viewed Wild Card Weekend since 1994 (30.0 mil).
Ratings/viewership for early Sunday NFL Wild Card game since ’99
| Year | Date | Featured game | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2010
|
Sun., 1/10/10 | Ravens/Patriots | CBS |
16.9/–
|
27,413
|
| 2009 | Sun., 1/5/09 | Ravens/Dolphins | CBS |
15.0/32
|
23,893
|
| 2008 | Sun., 1/6/08 | Giants/Buccaneers | FOX |
15.1/33
|
22,973
|
| 2007 | Sun., 1/7/07 | Jets/Patriots | CBS |
17.3/35
|
—
|
| 2006 | Sun., 1/8/06 | Panthers/Giants | FOX |
15.1/34
|
22,773
|
| 2005 | Sun., 1/9/05 | Broncos/Colts | CBS |
16.3/35
|
24,946
|
| 2004 | Sun., 1/4/04 | Seahawks/Packers | FOX |
19.1/39
|
29,313
|
| 2003 | Sun., 1/5/03 | Browns/Steelers | CBS |
18.1/40
|
27,450
|
| 2002 | Sun., 1/13/02 | 49ers/Packers | FOX |
16.8/38
|
—
|
| 2001 | Sun., 12/31/00 | Broncos/Ravens | CBS |
15.8/35
|
—
|
| 2000 | Sun., 1/9/00 | Cowboys/Vikings | FOX |
19.1/42
|
—
|
| 1999 | Sun., 1/3/99 | Patriots/Jaguars | CBS |
18.3/38
|
—
|
