Despite airing the four highest rated, most watched NFL games of the past eleven years, CBS still lost to FOX in the yearly ratings race.
FOX averaged a 10.7 rating for its NFC coverage, up 1% from last year, and the highest average of any NFL rightsholder. FOX drew its highest rating of the season on November 11, when Cowboys/Giants drew a 15.6 rating. CBS, meanwhile, averaged a 10.3 rating for its AFC package, up 5% from ’07. CBS aired three games this season with ratings of 18 or higher, led by Patriots/Colts on November 4, which drew a 20.1 rating.
The Sunday afternoon NFL telecasts finished with a higher average than the prime time broadcast package for the first time ever. NBC averaged a 10.1 rating for Sunday Night Football, down 8% from last year, and the lowest ever average rating for the prime time NFL package on broadcast television. SNF finished its season with a 9.7/16 rating for Titans/Colts, marking the sixth time in seven weeks that Sunday Night Football failed to draw a double digit rating. NBC drew its highest rating of the season on November 25, when Eagles/Patriots drew a 13.4 rating.
Sunday Night Football was not alone in setting record lows. Monday Night Football on ESPN finished its season with a 5.1 rating for Broncos/Chargers on Christmas Eve, the lowest rating for ever for a Monday night game. The 5.1 falls below the previous record low of 5.7 for two Atlanta Falcons games on MNF earlier this year. Five MNF broadcasts this season drew less than a 6.0 national rating; by comparison, no games drew less than a 6.0 last year.
For the season, ESPN averaged a 7.3 national rating for Monday Night Football, down 10% from last year. Eleven of ESPN’s seventeen games saw double-digit ratings declines.
Highest rated NFL games in ’07.
20.1: Patriots/Colts (11/4/07, 4:15 PM CBS)
19.1: Patriots/Giants (12/29/07, 8 PM NFL Network, CBS, NBC)
18.4: Patriots/Steelers (12/2/07, 4:15 PM CBS)
18.0: Patriots/Cowboys (10/14/07, 4:15 PM CBS)
15.6: Cowboys/Giants (11/11/07, 4:15 PM FOX)
Sunday Night Football ratings.
11.5: Saints/Colts (Thu., Sep. 6, 8:15 PM); down 9% from ’06.
11.6: Giants/Cowboys (Sun., Sep. 9, 8:15 PM); down 19% from ’06.
9.8: Chargers/Patriots (Sun., Sep. 16, 8:15 PM); down 18% from ’06.
11.8: Cowboys/Bears (Sun., Sep. 23, 8:15 PM); up 18% from ’06.
9.4: Eagles/Giants (Sun., Sep. 30, 8:15 PM); down 13% from ’06.
11.2: Bears/Packers (Sun., Oct. 7, 8:15 PM); up 17% from ’06.
7.1: Saints/Seahawks (Sun., Oct. 14, 8:15 PM); down 10% from ’06.
8.3: Steelers/Broncos (Sun., Oct. 21, 8:15 PM); no comparable game in ’06.
10.2: Cowboys/Eagles (Sun., Nov. 4, 8:15 PM); down 27% from ’06.
10.8: Colts/Chargers (Sun., Nov. 11, 8:15 PM); down 13% from ’06.
9.3: Patriots/Bills (Sun., Nov. 18, 8:15 PM); down 2% from ’06.
13.4: Eagles/Patriots (Sun., Nov. 25, 8:15 PM); up 38% from ’06.
9.1: Steelers/Bengals (Sun., Dec. 2, 8:15 PM); down 9% from ’06.
8.1: Ravens/Colts (Sun., Dec. 9, 8:15 PM); down 37% from ’06.
9.5: Washington/Giants (Sun., Dec. 16, 8:15 PM); down 4% from ’06.
8.7: Washington/Vikings (Sun., Dec. 23, 8:15 PM); no comparable game in ’06.
9.7: Titans/Colts (Sun., Dec. 30, 8:15 PM); up 23% from ’06.
Monday Night Football ratings.
7.3: Bengals/Ravens (9/10, 7 PM); down 11% from ’06.
5.9: Cardinals/49ers (9/10, 10 PM); down 16% from ’06.
7.7: Washington/Eagles (9/17, 8:30 PM); down 13% from ’06.
7.3: Titans/Saints (9/24, 8:30 PM); down 25% from ’06.
7.7: Patriots/Bengals (10/1, 8:30 PM); down 8% from ’06.
8.5: Cowboys/Bills (10/8, 8:30 PM); even with ’06.
5.7: Giants/Falcons (10/15, 8:30 PM); down 41% from ’06.
8.2: Colts/Jaguars (10/22, 8:30 PM); down 22% from ’06.
9.0: Packers/Broncos (10/29, 8:30 PM); up 14% from ’06.
6.4: Ravens/Steelers (11/5, 8:30 PM); down 6% from ’06.
5.8: Seahawks/49ers (11/12, 8:30 PM); down 11% from ’06.
6.3: Titans/Broncos (11/19, 8:30 PM); down 15% from ’06.
8.5: Dolphins/Steelers (11/26, 8:30 PM); up 2% from ’06.
11.1: Patriots/Ravens (12/3, 8:30 PM); up 56% from ’06.
5.7: Saints/Falcons (12/10, 8:30 PM); down 25% from ’06.
8.1: Bears/Vikings (12/17, 8:30 PM); down 12% from ’06.
5.1: Broncos/Chargers (12/24, 8:30 PM); down 22% from ’06.
