For the third straight week, ratings and viewership dropped for an NFL telecast that featured the Cowboys in the primary game, though this week’s numbers were still quite strong.
The Week 10 NFL national window, featuring Cowboys/Giants in 83% of TV markets, drew a 15.5 final rating and 26.226 million viewers — down 3% in ratings and 2% in viewership from Week 10 last year (DAL/GB*: 15.9, 26.747 mil, FOX), but up 14% and 17%, respectively, from Week 10 in 2008 (IND/PIT*: 13.6, 22.410 mil, CBS).
The decline in final ratings marks a reversal from the overnight, which was up 4% from last year (17.6 to 16.9).
This marks the ninth NFL telecast this season to draw at least 25 million viewers, matching — in seven fewer weeks — the number of telecasts to hit that mark during the entire 2009-10 season.
Just two seasons ago, only three NFL telecasts topped 25 million all season.
The Cowboys’ win ranks as the sixth-highest rated and fifth-most viewed NFL telecast of the season.
For the ninth time in ten weeks this season — and the 18th time in the past 19 NFL weeks, dating back to last season — the NFL national window topped Sunday Night Football on NBC (NE/PIT: 12.8, 21.182 mil).
The five NFL national windows on FOX this season have averaged a 15.3 rating and 25.7 million viewers, down 2% in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (15.6, 26.5 mil), but up 11% and 15%, respectively, from ’08 (13.8, 22.3 mil).
(FOX press release from Fang’s Bites; TV By The Numbers)
