For the first time since Week 1, the NFL delivered the kind of dominant numbers one would expect from the nation’s most popular sports league.
The Week 6 NFL national window, featuring Cowboys/Packers in 86% of markets, had a 15.8 final rating and 28.0 million viewers on FOX Sunday afternoon — up 9% in ratings and 12% in viewership from coverage on CBS featuring Chargers/Packers last year (14.5, 25.0M) but down 9% and 7%, respectively, from coverage on FOX featuring Cowboys/Seahawks in 2014 (17.4, 30.0M).
The telecast, which also included Falcons/Seahawks in 11% of markets, ranks as the highest rated and most-watched NFL window of the season. The previous highs were a 15.5 and 27.5 million for the Week 1 national window, which featured Giants/Cowboys in 90% of markets.
It was also just the eighth of 38 NFL telecasts this season to post an increase in ratings or viewership, and the third to earn at least 25 million viewers — compared to seven such telecasts in the first six weeks last year.
Ratings and viewership trailed last year’s meeting between the Cowboys and Packers, which had a 16.5 and 28.9 million as the lone game of the Week 13 national window. Compared to the teams’ 2013 meeting, which led the Week 15 national window in 83% of markets, the numbers were mixed. That telecast had a higher rating (16.3) but a smaller audience (27.8M).
In other action, regional coverage featuring Philadelphia/Washington or Rams/Lions had a 7.7 and 13.2 million — down 29% in ratings and 28% in viewership from last year on CBS (10.9, 18.3M) and down 20% and 18%, respectively, from 2014 on FOX (9.6, 16.1M).
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 10/18)
