Despite yet another decline, the NFL national window delivered season-high ratings to CBS.
The Week 15 NFL national window, featuring Patriots/Broncos in 83% of markets, had 25.0 million viewers on CBS Sunday afternoon — exactly even with coverage featuring Broncos/Steelers last year (25.0M)* and down 6% from coverage featuring 49ers/Seahawks on FOX in 2014 (26.5M).
Ratings slipped 2% from last year (from 14.47 to 14.25) but were the highest of the season on CBS — topping the previous mark of 13.6 for the Week 11 national window. The high water mark still pales in comparison to last season, when seven telecasts on CBS had at least a 14.3 rating and the network topped out at 16.3.
In viewership, it was the second-most watched game on CBS this season behind Vikings/Lions on Thanksgiving (27.6M).
Despite the solid performance, Sunday continued a season-long trend of declines for the NFL national window. It was the fifth straight national window to hit a multi-year low in ratings and/or viewership and the 10th to do so all season.
In other action, regional action scored an 8.8 final rating and 15.0 million viewers earlier in the day — up 28% in ratings and 33% in viewership from last year (6.9, 11.3M) and down 11% and 7%, respectively, from 2014 (9.9, 16.2M).
* In a rarity, viewership was exactly even with last year — 24.990 million. As a caveat, Nielsen figures are an estimate rather than an exact figure, making it unlikely that the same number of people were watching this year and last.
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 12/20)
