Nielsens: NFL Ratings, Local NBA, College Hoops

The NFL ratings slump continues, local ratings are surging for the Celtics and Sixers, and Duke-Indiana fell double-digits in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

NFL Ratings: Singleheader Down Again

Last Sunday’s Week 12 NFL singleheader, featuring Bears-Eagles in a plurality of markets, had an 8.9 rating and 15.4 million viewers on FOX — down 9% in ratings and viewership from last year (9.8, 16.8M) and down 28% and 25% respectively from 2015 (12.3, 20.5M). It was the lowest rated and least-watched Week 12 singleheader in at least a decade.

Ratings and viewership for the singleheader have dropped in 10 of 12 weeks this season, hitting multi-year lows in nine. The full NFL ratings chart is available here.

Local NBA Ratings: Celtics and Sixers Up Big

Boston Celtics NBA games averaged a 4.34 rating on NBC Sports Boston through 18 games, up 147% from last year and the network’s best start since 2010-11. The November 18 Celtics-Hawks game holds the top spot thus far with a 6.33 rating.

Meanwhile, Sixers games have averaged a 2.84 on NBC Sports Philadelphia (also through 18 games) — up 61% from last year and the network’s best start on record (dates back ten seasons).

In national action, Tuesday’s Nuggets-Jazz game had a 0.6 rating and 880,000 viewers on ESPN. There was no comparable window last year. It was the third-least watched game on ESPN or TNT this season, ahead of ESPN’s November 1 doubleheader — which aired opposite Game 7 of the World Series.

Duke-Indiana Down in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Wednesday’s Duke-Indiana college basketball game, part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, had 1.70 million viewers on ESPN — down 14% from North Carolina-Indiana last year (2.0M) and down 2% from Indiana-Duke in 2015 (1.73M). Ratings were not immediately available. Earlier in the night, Clemson-Ohio State pulled 1.16 million (+4%).

Elsewhere in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Louisville-Purdue drew 1.18 million on Tuesday (-7%) and Notre Dame-Michigan State 1.0 million on Thursday (no comp.).

In other recent college hoops action, last Sunday’s PK80 championship games each topped the million viewer mark. North Carolina-Michigan State had a 0.75 rating and 1.35 million, while Duke-Florida had a 0.7 and 1.1 million. There were no comparable windows last year.

[Numbers from ShowBuzz Daily 11.29, 11.30, 12.1; NBC Sports]