Sunday Night Football ratings increased for the sixth time in seven weeks, but the numbers were nothing to celebrate.
Saints-Vikings earned an 8.3 rating and 14.1 million viewers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football over the weekend, up 4% in ratings and 2% in viewership from last year (Steelers-Lions: 8.0, 13.9M) and down 19% and 22% respectively from 2016 (Eagles-Cowboys: 10.2, 18.0M).
The Saints’ win delivered the fourth-lowest Sunday Night Football rating and viewership in a decade, ahead of only Steelers-Lions last year, Colts-Texans in 2016 (8.1, 13.60M) and Colts-Saints in 2011 (7.6, 12.47M).
Like last year and 2011, the game aired directly opposite the World Series. It trailed the competing Red Sox-Dodgers Game 5 by 17% in ratings (8.3 to 10.0) and 20% in viewership (14.1M to 17.6M).
Sunday Night Football has now lost to the World Series in three straight years, after winning the head-to-head in five of the previous six.
On the brighter side, SNF has now scored an increase in ratings and viewership in six of the past seven weeks.
Saints-Vikings scored a 4.5 rating in adults 18-49, down 6% from last year (4.8) and down 31% from 2016 (6.5). The 4.5 is the third-lowest for the Sunday Night Football package since it moved to NBC, ahead of Vikings-Packers on a Saturday night last year (4.1) and Seahawks-Buccaneers opposite an ALCS Game 7 in 2008 (3.9).
It also drew a 3.3 in adults 18-34 (-11%) — the second-lowest for SNF since moving to NBC — and a 5.5 in adults 25-54 (-2%).
SNF trailed the World Series in adults 18-49 (4.5 to 4.6) and adults 18-34 (3.3 to 3.4), and tied in adults 25-54.
New Orleans led all markets Sunday night with a 50.0 rating, followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul at a 41.3. No other market exceeded a 13.0 rating (Kansas City), with Austin, Tex. and Norfolk, Va., rounding out the top five at a 12.4.
Sunday Night Football Ratings vs. World Series
| Year | SNF | WORLD SERIES | ||||
| Game | Rtg | Vwrs | Game | Rtg | Vwrs | |
| 2018 | NO-MIN | 8.3 | 14.09M | BOS-LAD Gm. 5 | 10.0 | 17.64M |
| 2017 | PIT-DET | 8.0 | 13.87M | LAD-HOU Gm. 5 | 10.5 | 18.94M |
| 2016 | PHI-DAL | 10.2 | 18.02M | CLE-CHC Gm. 5 | 13.1 | 23.64M |
| 2015 | GB-DEN | 13.0 | 23.01M | KC-NYM Gm. 5 | 10.0 | 17.21M |
| 2014 | GB-NO | 10.9 | 18.80M | KC-SF Gm. 5 | 7.3 | 12.64M |
| 2013 | GB-MIN | 9.8 | 16.89M | BOS-STL Gm. 4 | 9.4 | 15.98M |
| 2012 | NO-DEN | 10.7 | 17.73M | SF-DET Gm. 4 | 8.9 | 15.49M |
| 2011 | IND-NO | 7.6 | 12.47M | STL-TEX Gm. 4 | 9.2 | 15.16M |
| 2010 | NO-PIT | 10.7 | 18.11M | SF-TEX Gm. 4 | 9.0 | 15.54M |
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 10.30]
