NFL Closes Out Regular Season With Another Ratings Record

According to the press release just issued by the National Football League, it was another record year for viewing. Apparently NFL games topped the ratings in local markets 89% of the time during the regular season breaking last year’s record. It’s the power of the league which is seeing tremendous ratings. Here’s the press release:

RECORD-SETTER: NFL Games Top Local Ratings 89 Percent of Time in 2009

FOX National Game Featuring Eagles-Cowboys

Week’s Most-Watched Show

NFL Tops Ratings in 27 Local Markets

For the season, NFL games were the highest rated program locally a record 89 percent of the time – topping the mark set last season (88 percent). By comparison, NFL games topped local NFL market ratings 68 percent of the time five years ago (in 2004) and 55 percent of the time in 2001.

The FOX doubleheader game (mostly Philadelphia-Dallas) was the most-watched show on TV last week (Dec. 28 – Jan. 3) with 26.5 million viewers and marked the ninth NFL telecast to top 25 million viewers this season – up from three such broadcasts in 2008.

NFL games topped the local ratings in 27 NFL markets last week.

Following are the NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Dec. 28 – Jan. 3:

Week of 12/28/09 – 1/3/10

HH

HH

RTG

Market

Game

Date

RTG

SHR

Rank

Pittsburgh

Steelers at Dolphins

1/3/10

49.3

74

1

Minneapolis*

Vikings at Bears

12/28/09

43.6

68

1

New Orleans

Saints at Panthers

1/3/10

43.1

63

1

Dallas

Eagles at Cowboys

1/3/10

40.6

64

1

Milwaukee

Packers at Cardinals

1/3/10

39.5

64

1

Baltimore

Ravens at Raiders

1/3/10

39.3

57

1

San Diego

Redskins at Chargers

1/3/10

36.8

65

1

Cincinnati

Bengals at Jets

1/3/10

36.3

49

1

Kansas City

Chiefs at Broncos

1/3/10

36.3

53

1

Philadelphia

Eagles at Cowboys

1/3/10

35.4

53

1

Buffalo

Colts at Bills

1/3/10

34.4

54

1

Nashville

Titans at Seahawks

1/3/10

33.5

48

1

Denver

Chiefs at Broncos

1/3/10

32.7

60

1

Indianapolis

Colts at Bills

1/3/10

31.5

52

1

Chicago*

Vikings at Bears

12/28/09

31.1

49

1

Boston

Patriots at Texans

1/3/10

28.5

53

1

Charlotte

Saints at Panthers

1/3/10

27.3

47

1

Tampa

Falcons at Buccaneers

1/3/10

25.7

46

1

Phoenix

Packers at Cardinals

1/3/10

24.4

44

1

Washington, DC

Redskins at Chargers

1/3/10

23.3

40

1

Houston

Patriots at Texans

1/3/10

21.5

43

1

Seattle

Titans at Seahawks

1/3/10

21.1

48

1

Miami

Steelers at Dolphins

1/3/10

20.8

42

1

Detroit

Bears at Lions

1/3/10

19.4

40

1

Atlanta

Falcons at Buccaneers

1/3/10

18.7

33

1

New York

Bengals at Jets

1/3/10

18.1

27

1

St. Louis

Eagles at Cowboys

1/3/10

15.5

28

1

* Local affiliate & ESPN combined

Source: NFL & Nielsen Media Research

Thanks to the NFL offices for sending these releases out over the last two seasons to Fang’s Bites. I’m always glad to post them.

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NFL Closes Out Regular Season With Another Ratings Record

Alan Draper

Alan Draper

Alan Draper