The National Football League is a ratings machine. The sport is growing with each passing second, and this year was on more platforms than ever before. No fewer than five networks carried NFL games this season, including ESPN, NFL Network, CBS, NBC and FOX.
FOX had its second-largest numbers in 2014, bringing in an average of 20.7 million viewers, according to a network press release. The only year to surpass that figure was 2013, garnering a number of 21.2 million.
Not including the early London game featuring the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons that aired in the early morning hours stateside, FOX averaged a 12.0/25 household rating and 20.7 million viewers through 17 regular season weeks. The average viewers are up eight percent from five years ago and a whopping 34 percent from 10 years ago.
Week 17 was also a major hit for FOX. The contest between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins totaled a 10.5/22 with 18 million viewers, making it the highest-rated Week 17 early game (1 p.m. ET start) of all-time. Later that afternoon, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions brought in 28.5 million viewers, breaking the record for FOX’s Week 17 national game.
FOX NFL Sunday did a 3.6/9 rating with an average of 5.5 million viewers, up two percent from 2013. While final numbers are not official yet, FOX NFL Sunday is expected to be the most-watched pregame show for the 21st consecutive year.
America’s Game of the Week also rocked the ratings in the late afternoon national window. The show averaged a 15.5/29 with 26.9 million viewers, putting it in position to be the most-watched show among male and adult demographics for the sixth straight year.
In other words, FOX is rolling and the NFL is still really, really good for business.
