NFL Recovers Late-Season Ratings, Maintains Major Share Of Viewers
- by Wayne Friedman , February 3, 2017
Even with declining ratings this season, NFL programming remains a large part of big TV networks overall viewing -- representing a major share of its overall TV viewing. On Fox, for example, its NFL games, as well as associated “shoulder” programming of pre- and post game programming, account for 59% of the network’s overall Nielsen live program total viewer gross rating points. (Some 49% comes from actual games and 10% from non-game programming.)
NBC’s NFL’s total programming share is at 28%, with ESPN and CBS each with 26%. These results come from MoffettNathanson Research analysis of Nielsen viewing data.
After some major early-season double-digit percentage viewership declines -- due to the interest in the presidential election race and the absence of some NFL star quarterbacks in those games -- NFL regular season/playoff games recovered. They are only down 9% in 2016 to an average 17.1 million viewers
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Over a two-year period -- 2014 through 2016 -- NFL ratings are down 7%. In 2015, NFL ratings were up a total of 2%.
The biggest loser of the NFL programs in 2016 was ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” down 13% to average 11.3 million viewers. NBC’s “Sunday Night Football lost 6% to 19.6 million. Sunday afternoon football -- on Fox and CBS -- was collectively down 6% to 18 million viewers.
“Thursday Night Football” -- on CBS and then NBC, as well as the NFL Network -- was down the least by 4%, to 16 million viewers. Other games including the season opener, Thanksgiving and Saturday late-season games, were down 10% to 19.67 million viewers.
MoffettNathanson Research says ESPN is paying the most for its NFL programming -- “Monday Night Football” -- which amounts to $43 per thousand gross rating points. NBC is at $11; CBS, $9; and Fox, $8.
ESPN is paying an average of $1.9 billion per year for its NFL deal, while Fox is at $1.1 billion for its Sunday afternoon package. CBS for Sunday afternoon hits $1 billion, while NBC is at $960 million for “Sunday Night Football,” and CBS/NBC’s “Thursday Night Football” comes to $465 million.
"due to the interest in the presidential election race and the absence of some NFL star quarterbacks in those games"
Let's not forget the political demonstrations by some players. There's definitely a quantifiable move away from watching the games by a significant group of people who did not wish to see politics mixed with football.