Ratings Roundup: Sunday Night Football’s Viewership at 16-year High on NBC

Through the first two weeks and three broadcasts of the NFL season, NBC’s Sunday Night Football is averaging 25.3 million viewers, the most for the first two primetime weeks in 16 years (25.5 million in 1994 on ABC in two broadcasts). NBC’s much-anticipated Eli-Petyton Manning showdown in Week 2 between the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts, was seen by an average of 23.1 million people and ties for the third-best audience in SNF history. The Colts’ 38-14 blowout earned a 15.2 overnight rating (24 share), the fifth-best overnight rating in SNF history, but down down 8% from a Giants-Dallas game in the NBC time slot last year.

CBS also posted solid ratings for its Sunday Doubleheader. The afternoon coverage was highlighted by the New York Jets’ 28-14 victory over New England and earned an average household rating/share of 16.7/32, up 8% from last year’s 15.4/30. The early coverage (focusing on Miami Dolphins-Minnesota Vikings) notched an 11.2 overnight rating, even with last year. Through two weeks of the 2010 NFL season, The NFL on CBS is averaging 13.0/26, up 12% from last year’s 11.6/24, which was the highest rating ever for Sunday afternoon game broadcasts…

Fox only had one NFL window Sunday, highlighted by Dallas Cowboys-Chicago Bears, drawing 12.3 overnight, up 18% from last year (New Orleans-Philadelphia)…

The second week of Monday Night Football featured the New Orleans Saints taking down the San Francisco 49ers and drew a 10.6 overnight rating on ESPN, up 5% from Colts-Dolphins last year (10.1). The 10.6 also tops both games of ESPN’s Week 1 doubleheader, which featured Ravens/Jets (10.5) and Chargers/Chiefs (9.1)…

Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia set a new ratings benchmark on Monday, Sept. 20, posting a 14.5 rating (431,400 households) for the Phillies 3-1 win over the Braves, making it the highest-rated regular season game in CSN Philadelphia history. The Phillies game, which beat out Monday Night Football, bets the previous Phillies record of 13.3 set on September 30, 2009 against the Houston Astros. Through mid-September, the Phillies are averaging an 8.0 household rating, also a new record high for the network.

CBS’s opening SEC coverage was down on Saturday, as a Florida-Tennessee matchup drew a 3.5 overnight rating, down 27% (4.8) from the same matchup last year…

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