NFL preseason ratings dipped on NBC and CBS, while NFL Network finished its most-watched exhibition run in four years. Plus: a three-year high for NASCAR’s summer race at Daytona; the largest audience for Illinois football in six years.
Preseason games down on NBC, CBS, up on NFL Network
Sunday’s Browns-Falcons NFL preseason finale averaged a 3.0 rating and 5.06 million viewers on NBC, down 21% in ratings and 19% in viewership from NBC’s Sunday night preseason game in 2019 (Steelers-Titans: 3.8, 6.24M). Keep in mind that unlike in 2019, the game overlapped with competing coverage on NFL Network.
Earlier in the day, CBS drew a 2.1 and 3.46 million for Dolphins-Bengals — down 18% and 12% respectively from the network’s lone preseason game in ’19, which aired in the same Sunday afternoon slot (Saints-Rams: 2.5, 3.93M). CBS also faced competing games on NFL Network.
As for NFL Network, Jaguars-Cowboys drew a 1.1 and 1.93 million on Sunday afternoon — the channel’s largest preseason audience since 2018 — followed by a 1.0 and 1.80 million for Raiders-49ers and a 1.0 and 1.66 million for Patriots-Giants. Bears-Titans topped its Saturday coverage with a 0.8 (+29%) and 1.41 million (+36%), followed by Packers-Bills at a 0.6 (+18%) and 983,000 (+28%) and Chargers-Seahawks at a 0.6 (+17%) and 917,000 (+22%). Its Friday night Vikings-Chiefs game drew a 0.7 (+13%) and 1.16 million (+20%).
Overall, NFL Network had its most-watched preseason since 2017, averaging 1.4 million viewers (+35%).
NASCAR scores largest summer Daytona audience in three years
Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 400 averaged a 2.25 rating and 3.93 million viewers on NBC, marking the largest audience for the summer race at the track since 2018 (4.44M). Compared to last year’s race, which faced unprecedented competition from NBA and NHL playoff games, ratings fell 7% (from 2.41) but viewership increased 2% (from 3.87M). The 2019 race was postponed from Saturday to Sunday and averaged a 2.1 and 3.29 million.
Ryan Blaney’s win, which peaked with 4.7 million, ranks as the most-watched NASCAR race since the Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte on FOX Memorial Day weekend (4.06M) and the most-watched on NBC since last year’s Brickyard 400 (4.35M). It was no match for the season’s first two races at Daytona, the season-opening 500 (4.83M) and the Daytona Roval a week later (4.75M).
The race ranked second for the weekend among sportscasts behind only NBC’s Browns-Falcons Sunday Night Football preseason game (3.0, 5.06M).
In other action, the corresponding Xfinity Series race averaged a 0.43 and 670,000 on NBCSN, down from last year’s Friday night edition (0.53, 876K).
Lowly Illinois scores largest national audience in six years
The season-opening Nebraska-Illinois college football game averaged a 1.9 rating and 3.22 million viewers on FOX Saturday afternoon, marking the most-watched game involving Illinois since a 2015 matchup against Ohio State (4.08M). Nebraska played in a game with more viewers just last season, the delayed season opener against Ohio State (6.18M). The Illini’s win easily outdrew the overlapping Hawaii-UCLA game on ESPN, which pulled a 0.59 and 976,000.
In other “week zero” action, Alcorn State-N.C. Central averaged a 0.57 and 1.00 million on ESPN in primetime — up substantially from the network’s first primetime game last season, Austin Peay-Central Arkansas (0.33, 501K). That game faced competition from the NBA and NHL playoffs.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 8.31]
