Weekend NFL preseason ratings were nothing to brag about.
Sunday’s Cardinals-Cowboys NFL preseason game earned a 4.4 rating and 7.17 million viewers on NBC, down 2% in ratings and viewership from last year (49ers-Vikings: 4.5, 7.32M) but up 16% and 17% respectively from 2016 (Bengals-Jaguars: 3.8, 6.13M).
Arizona’s 27-3 rout was the lowest rated and least-watched Cowboys game on a broadcast network since 2009, when a preseason game against Tennessee had a 4.3 and 6.66 million on FOX.
Despite the lower numbers, the game was the highest rated and most-watched of the preseason — topping the previous highs of 4.2 for Eagles-Browns on FOX and 6.77 million for the Hall of Fame Game on NBC. This is the first time since 2012 that the Hall of Fame Game was not the most-watched of the preseason.
Earlier in the day, Bengals-Bills scored a 2.5 and 3.98 million on FOX — down 32% in ratings and 33% in viewership from last year (Cincinnati-Washington: 3.7, 5.94M) and down 39% and 40% respectively from 2016 (Cardinals-Texans: 4.1, 6.68M).
It was the lowest rated and least-watched preseason game on FOX since 2008 (Raiders-Titans: 2.4, 3.53M).
On Saturday, CBS drew a 2.2 and 3.4 million for Saints-Chargers — up 57% in ratings and 54% in viewership from last year (Chargers-Rams: 1.4, 2.2M) but down 8% and 11% respectively from 2016 (Titans-Raiders: 2.4, 3.8M). It was just the fifth preseason game this year to post an increase in both ratings and viewership.
Rounding out the weekend slate, NFL Network drew a 0.8 and 1.37 million for Titans-Steelers and a 0.6 and 994,000 for Chiefs-Bears on Saturday afternoon. There were no comparable windows last year.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 8.28]
