The NFL season got off to a record start.
Week 1 of the regular season averaged 19.9 million viewers across NBC, CBS, FOX and ESPN, a record for an opening weekend. The previous high was 19.6 million in the 2013 season.
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NBC topped the charts in Week 1, delivering near-record numbers both for the NFL Kickoff Game and its Sunday Night Football opener. Last Thursday’s Steelers-Patriots opener led the way with a 16.2 final rating and 27.4 million viewers, ranking second all time among Kickoff Games (dating to 2002) behind only Vikings-Saints in 2010 (16.5, 27.5 million).
Sunday’s Giants-Cowboys game ranked second for the week with a 15.4 and 26.8 million, ranking second among Sunday Night Football openers since NBC began airing the franchise in 2006. Only Steelers-Broncos in 2012 did better (16.5, 27.6 million).
ESPN also scored near-record numbers, with its Monday Night Football doubleheader averaging an 8.6 and 13.9 million — the second-highest average since the two-game format began in 2006. The nightcap between the Vikings and 49ers had an 8.8 and 14.3 million, easily the highest ever for the Week 1 late game.
The milestones were not limited to prime time. Fox had an 11.6 rating and 20.1 million viewers for its Week 1 singleheader (mostly Packers-Bears), marking the window’s largest Week 1 audience on record.
Only CBS was left out of the positive trend, as its Week 1 national window (mostly Ravens-Broncos) had a 13.5 and 23.3 million — the window’s worst performance in Week 1 of the season since 2008.
Paulsen is the founder of Sports Media Watch and a contributor for Sporting News. Follow him on Twitter @Paulsen_SMW.