Sagging ratings? NBC’s SNF and the Cowboys would like a word
Slow your roll on those claims that the NFL is losing its hold on the country.
Eight of the 10 most-watched shows this fall were NFL games on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. The SNF broadcast is the No. 1 prime time show for a record seventh consecutive season, averaging 18.2 million viewers each week.
It’s SNF’s most dominant season in its 12-year run, up 29 percent from 2016.
The most-watched prime time program this fall (in terms of viewership) was Game 7 of the World Series on Fox when the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers on Nov. 1. The Dallas Cowboys had three games in the top 10, including the second most-watched program when they opened the season with a SNF win over the New York Giants on Sept. 10. The top five for the 18 to 49 demographic was about the same. SNF led with a 6.1 rating, followed by Thursday Night Football on CBS and NBC, AMC’s The Walking Dead, and ESPN’s Monday Night Football, which was fifth with a 3.7 rating.
Top 5 series, Fall 2017
Program | Avg. Viewers |
NBC Sunday Night Football | 18.2 million |
CBS Thursday Night Football* | 14.1 million |
CBS Big Bang Theory | 14.037 million |
NBC Thursday Night Football** | 14.036 million |
CBS NCIS | 13.0 million |
Top 10 programs, Fall 2017
Show, Date | Avg. Viewers |
FOX World Series (Astros-Dodgers, Game 7), Nov. 1 | 28.3 million |
NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Cowboys), Sept. 10 | 24.4 million |
FOX World Series (Astros-Dodgers, Game 6), Oct. 31 | 22.3 million |
NBC Sunday Night Football (Chiefs-Patriots), Sept. 7 | 21.8 million |
NBC Sunday Night Football (Eagles-Cowboys), Nov. 19 | 21.1 million |
NBC Sunday Night Football (Packers-Falcons), Sept. 17 | 20.2 million |
NBC Sunday Night Football (Eagles-Seahawks), Dec. 3 | 19.7 million |
NBC Sunday Night Football (Falcons-Patriots), Oct. 3 | 19.25 million |
NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Raiders), Dec. 17 | 19.19 million |
NBC Sunday Night Football (Packers-Steelers), Nov. 26 | 19.0 million |
Milwaukee was the top SNF market in 2017, averaging a 17.3 rating. Denver had been the top SNF market from 2014-16. New Orleans was the top market in 2010-11 and 2013. Texas had four the top 30 SNF markets, including Dallas, which topped the state at No. 11 with a 14.3 average rating.
Top 30 SNF Markets, Fall 2017
1. Milwaukee | 17.3/27 |
T2. New Orleans | 17.1/24 |
T2. Richmond | 17.1/26 |
4. Denver | 16.7/29 |
5. Seattle | 16.3/28 |
6. Norfolk | 16.0/25 |
7. Kansas City | 15.6/25 |
8. Philadelphia | 15.5/25 |
9. Pittsburgh | 15.4/23 |
10. Albuquerque | 15.0/24 |
11. Dallas | 14.3/24 |
T12. Minneapolis | 14.2/25 |
T12. Providence | 14.2/23 |
14. Baltimore | 13.5/23 |
T15. Washington, D.C. | 13.4/25 |
T15. Buffalo | 13.4/21 |
17. Las Vegas | 13.3/22 |
18. Austin | 13.2/24 |
19. Boston | 13.1/22 |
20. San Antonio | 12.8/21 |
21. San Diego | 12.4/22 |
T22. Memphis | 12.3/17 |
T22. Sacramento | 12.3/22 |
24. Portland | 12.0/22 |
25. Phoenix | 11.8/21 |
26. Houston | 11.7/20 |
27. Charlotte | 11.6/19 |
T28. Raleigh | 11.5/19 |
T28. Nashville | 11.5/18 |
T30. Atlanta | 11.3/19 |
T30. Greensboro | 11.3/18 |
Stefan Stevenson: 817-390-7760, @StevensonFWST
This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Sagging ratings? NBC’s SNF and the Cowboys would like a word."