NFL Week 1 Ratings See Uptick In Most Windows

Ryan Mayer

After the first Sunday of NFL action, the league's various broadcast partners are likely happy this morning. Overnight ratings reporting shows increases in viewership in three of the four windows.

In their set of regional, single-header games, CBS Sports is reporting that ratings are up 23% over last season's with an average overnight household rating share of 10.6/22. The network's pregame show, The NFL Today, also saw a ratings increase, with a 2.8/7 overnight rating, which was up 12% from last season. The average 10.6 rating is the highest opening singleheader rating in three years.

As for FOX, they scored an 8.8 average rating across their regional broadcasts which was up 5% from last season. Their national coverage, which included the Panthers-Cowboys game in most markets, is up 1% year over year (15.7 vs. 15.6)

NBC wasn't as lucky, with the Packers and Bears Sunday Night Football game garnering a 14.4 rating, which is down 9% from last year's Giants-Cowboys Week 1 match-up. However, that rating is up from Thursday's opening game between the Falcons and Eagles.

One other thing to note, courtesy of Sports Media Watch, last year's Week 1 ratings were lower due to the effects of Hurricane Irma coverage.

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