For only the second time in the past three years, a regular season NFL game topped 30 million viewers.
CBS drew a 17.5 final rating and 30.468 million viewers for Sunday’s NFL national window, featuring Patriots/Bears in 56% of TV markets, up 19% in ratings and 26% in viewership from Week 14 last year (SD/DAL*: 14.7, 24.130 mil, CBS), and up 12% and 19%, respectively, from Week 14 in 2008 (DAL/PIT*: 15.6, 25.700 mil, FOX).
The telecast ranks as the highest rated and second-most viewed NFL telecast of the season. Only Saints/Cowboys on FOX Thanksgiving Day drew more viewers (31.874 mil).
Additionally, the 17.5 rating is the highest for a regular season NFL telecast since the Week 14 national window in 2007 (PIT/NE*: 18.4). This marks only the second time since that season that regular season NFL coverage has topped 30 million viewers.
Three of the five most-viewed NFL telecasts this season have aired on CBS — Sunday’s national window, the Week 9 national window (IND/PHI*: 27.789 mil), and the network’s Thanksgiving Day game (NE/DET: 27.753 mil).
Sunday’s telecast was the fifteenth of the season to draw at least 25 million viewers, topping last year’s full season total of nine. Just two seasons ago, only three NFL telecasts hit that mark.
Even in a week where NBC drew its second-largest NFL audience since reacquiring rights to the league, the national window still topped Sunday Night Football (PHI/DAL: 15.2, 25.728 mil). This marks the 13th time in 14 weeks this season that the national window has topped SNF, and the 21st time in 22 NFL weeks dating back to last year.
UPDATED 12/17/10: According to Sports Business Daily, the national window drew a 17.5 rating and 30.468 million viewers. Previously, SMW reported that the game drew a 17.4 and 30.245 million. An NFL press release earlier this week also had the game drawing 30.2 million.
(Ratings from TV By The Numbers; updated data from Sports Business Daily)
