While the other networks suffered declines, Week 1 of the NFL season was pretty good to FOX.
The Week 1 NFL national window, featuring Giants/Cowboys in 90% of markets, earned a 15.5 final rating and 27.5 million viewers on FOX Sunday afternoon — up 15% in ratings and 18% in viewership from coverage on CBS featuring Ravens/Broncos last year (13.5, 23.3M) but down 1% and 2%, respectively, from 49ers/Cowboys on FOX in 2014 (15.7, 28.0M).
The telecast ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched Week 1 national window on FOX since 2012 (15.4, 26.4M), but that marks an improvement from the overnights, which were the lowest on the network since 2009. Moreover, the window ranks as the fourth-most-watched Week 1 telecast ever on FOX (dates back to 1994).
The national window was easily the top NFL telecast of Week 1, ranking comfortably ahead of the Panthers/Broncos Kickoff Game (14.6, 25.4M) and Patriots/Cardinals on Sunday Night Football (13.1, 23.1).
Earlier in the day, regional action featuring Packers/Jaguars in 34% of markets earned a 9.2 and 15.8 million viewers — up 2% in ratings and 6% in viewership from last year on CBS (9.0, 14.9M) and up 12% in both measures from coverage on FOX in 2014 (8.2, 14.1M).
The telecast ranks as the most-watched Week 1 early window ever on FOX and the highest rated since 1994.
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
