FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 20th, 2015

NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL OFF TO BEST SIX-WEEK START FOR NFL PRIMETIME PACKAGE IN 19 YEARS

Nearly 23 Million Watched Patriots-Colts Matchup – Most-Watched Week 6 Game in 10-Season SNF on NBC History

SNF in Midst of Three Consecutive Games Featuring an Unbeaten Team – First Time in Series History

Football Night in America Continues Record Pace Averaging Nearly 10 Million Viewers

Record 136 Million Live Minutes of SNF Streamed to Date on NBC Sports Live Extra

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 20, 2015 – NBC’s Sunday Night Football has posted viewership increases for an unprecedented seven consecutive games to open the season, resulting in the best start in nearly two decades for the NFL’s premier primetime package.

Through the opening six weeks of the NFL season (seven telecasts), NBC’s Sunday Night Football is averaging 24.1 million viewers – the best viewership for the NFL’s broadcast primetime package at this point in the season in 19 years (24.5 million in 1996), according to official national data released by The Nielsen Company.  SNF is averaging a 14.1/24 household rating – the best start for the broadcast primetime package in 18 years (14.8/26 in 1997).

In addition, Sunday Night Football is averaging an 8.9 rating in the Adult 18-49 demographic, up 6% from this point last season. SNF viewership is up 10% from last year at this time (21.9 million viewers), while HH rating has increased 9% (12.9/21).

Football Night in America (7:30-8:15 p.m. ET), the most-watched weekly studio show in sports, is averaging 9.8 million viewers – the best start in the show’s 10-season history and up 20% from last year at this point (8.2 million). In addition, the 8-8:30 p.m. ET portion of Football Night in America (including pre-kick coverage), is averaging 13.9 million viewers, and a 5.0 rating among Adults 18-49, which would rank No. 5 among regularly-scheduled primetime shows in the demographic.

New England’s 34-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, highlighted by Tom Brady’s 312 passing yards and three touchdowns boosting the Patriots to a perfect 5-0 for the first time since their perfect 16-0 regular season in 2007, drew an average of 22.8 million viewers, ranking as the most-watched Week 6 primetime game in SNF on NBC history and up 26% from last year’s Week 6 SNF matchup (18.1 million for Giants-Eagles). In addition, Patriots-Colts is the most-watched NFL primetime game facing an MLB League Championship Series game since 1996 (49ers-Packers, 26.5 million on ABC).

Patriots-Colts also kicked off a stretch of three consecutive SNF matchups featuring at least one undefeated team – a first this late in the season in the 10 years of Sunday Night Football on NBC. In addition to the Patriots winning on Sunday, this week’s SNF matchup on Oct. 25 features Cam Newton and the 5-0 Carolina Panthers hosting the first-place Philadelphia Eagles. One week later on Nov. 1, it’s a battle of unbeatens as Aaron Rodgers and the 6-0 Green Bay Packers visit Peyton Manning and the 6-0 Denver Broncos.

In addition:

  • The New England-Indianapolis Sunday Night Football telecast (8:31-11:32 p.m. ET) posted a 13.1/21 national household rating, up 21% from last year’s Week 6 game (10.8/18).
  • Sunday Night Football led NBC to a decisive Sunday win in all key measures, taking the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox by a 119% margin in Adults 18-49 (6.8 vs. 3.1 for #2 CBS).

TOP METERED MARKETS FOR PATRIOTS-COLTS:

1. Boston* 44.6/64
2. Indianapolis 39.3/58
3. Providence 33.5/49
4. Denver 19.3/32
5. West Palm Beach 19.1/31
T6. Hartford/New Haven 17.7.27
T6. New Orleans 17.7/26
8. San Diego 17.6/30
9. Buffalo 17.4/27
10. Las Vegas 17.2/27

*highest on record in the market for SNF

DIGITAL: NBC Sports Live Extra’s presentation of Patriots-Colts totaled 17.7 million live streaming minutes, up 148% from last year’s Week 6 game (7.1 million).

Through seven games, the 2015 NFL season has delivered 136 million live minutes and 1.8 million unique users on NBC Sports Live Extra, up 67% and 17%, respectively, from 2014.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–