With most of the country getting a snowy Green Bay thriller, the NFL national window delivered one of the season’s highest ratings.
Sunday’s NFL national window (Panthers-Packers in 70% of markets) averaged a 13.3 rating and 23.20 million viewers on FOX, marking the highest rated and most-watched Week 10 national window since 2016 (mostly Cowboys-Steelers: 16.4, 28.88M).
The telecast, which also included Rams-Steelers in 29% of markets, delivered the fifth-largest audience of the NFL season. It also tied the fourth-highest rating. FOX has aired five of the top six windows this season.
For the ninth time in ten tries this season, the national window finished as the top NFL telecast of the week. It edged a strong-performing Sunday Night Football game (Vikings-Cowboys: 12.9, 22.99M).
Ratings increased 10% and viewership 12% from Week 10 last year (mostly Seahawks-Rams: 12.1, 20.79M) and 4% and 6% respectively from 2017 (mostly Cowboys-Falcons: 12.8, 21.96M).
Milwaukee led all markets with a 44.3 rating and 68 share, followed by Pittsburgh at a 41.3/64.
FOX is now averaging 23.92 million viewers for its late doubleheader windows this season (+8%). Across all Sunday windows, the network is averaging 18.46 million (+8%), the highest at this point of the season since 2016.
Earlier in the day, regional action featuring the Falcons’ upset of the Saints averaged a 6.3 (-13%) and 10.53 million (-11%) — marking the lowest rated and least-watched NFL window on broadcast television this season.
It was the lowest rated early doubleheader window in Week 10 since 2004 (6.2) and the least-watched since 2006 (9.87M).
The early window averaged a 2.9 rating in adults 18-49 (-10%) and the late window a 6.1 (+5%). The late game trailed SNF in the demo (6.7).
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 11.12, with additional info from Fox Sports PR]
