If there were any doubt heading into the heavily promoted debut of the NFL on the league’s flagship channel, it’s going to be a long slog for the NFL Network.
Last Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos averaged 4.2 million total viewers, according to Nielsen, and a 2.3 household rating. While that’s not the lowest rating ever for an NFL regular-season game, coming in just ahead of an Atlanta Falcons-Carolina Panthers game on TNT in 1997, it’s also barely a third of what a typical “Monday Night Football” matchup draws on ESPN.
The problem of course is that the NFL Network’s distribution remains slight by basic cable standards. It’s available in just 41 million households, 51 million fewer than ESPN, and many people may not even realize that they get the network, which up till now offered a mix of NFL highlights, game replays and cheerleading reality shows.
Taking that into consideration, along with the fact that Thanksgiving Day viewing is typically light, the game didn’t do too badly. It earned a 6.8 cable rating, which represents a percentage of viewers with NFL Network access who watched. And the network points out that it was the most-watched program on cable that day.
But considering the league turned down hundreds of millions of dollars in rights fees to keep the eight Thursday and Saturday games on its own network this season, it wants much better numbers in the future, and that will depend on distribution.
The network is in the midst of a nasty battle as it attempts to widen its subscriber base. It’s available via DirecTV and Dish Network, the nation’s two largest satellite providers, which account for roughly two-thirds of its delivery.
But three of the country’s biggest cable carriers, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications and Cablevision, have not yet signed deals to carry the network. And No. 1 Comcast and No. 3 Cox, while offering NFL Network, have packaged it on an expensive digital sports tier with few subscribers, prompting vocal public protests from the NFL Network and a lawsuit.
Cable operators are reluctant to pay the pricey $.70 per-subscriber fee that the network wants to charge, which would put it well above most basic cable fees. They argue that NFL Network is a niche channel that most subscribers aren’t interested in, and they thus don’t want to pay the money to include it in bottom-tier packages.
The network argues back that NFL games are definitely not niche. They're the highest-rated sport and deliver a desirable audience for advertisers to boot.
Still, ratings could well rise for tomorrow’s game two between intense rivals the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals. This is a better matchup than last week. And the NFL Network could benefit two weeks from now when high-rated Thursday shows like “CSI” and “Grey’s Anatomy” begin slipping into reruns.
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TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending Nov. 26 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
2064 |
NICK |
1625 |
|
2 |
USA |
1870 |
USA |
1051 |
|
3 |
TNT |
1591 |
TNT |
1022 |
|
4 |
HALL |
1209 |
TOON |
1019 |
|
5 |
TBSC |
1200 |
NAN* |
945 |
|
6 |
AEN |
1145 |
ADSM* |
889 |
|
7 |
TOON |
1106 |
ESPN |
869 |
|
8 |
NAN |
1062 |
AEN |
825 |
|
9 |
CORT |
986 |
TBSC |
717 |
|
10 |
SPK |
985 |
LIF |
692 |
|
11 |
LIF |
942 |
HALL |
683 |
|
12 |
FX |
898 |
FOXN |
556 |
|
13 |
HIST |
895 |
CORT |
555 |
|
14 |
SCIF |
811 |
SPK |
549 |
|
15 |
CMDY |
796 |
HIST |
541 |
|
16 |
FAM |
776 |
DISC |
531 |
|
17 |
FOXN |
775 |
MTV |
529 |
|
18 |
DISC |
765 |
FX |
520 |
|
19 |
HGTV |
750 |
FAM |
503 |
|
20 |
MTV |
732 |
CMDY |
502 |
|
21 |
AMC |
714 |
FOOD |
491 |
|
22 |
TLC |
699 |
HGTV |
479 |
|
23 |
TVLD |
652 |
SCIF |
475 |
|
24 |
FOOD |
589 |
AMC |
455 |
|
25 |
ESP2 |
561 |
TVLD |
450 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Nov. 26 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
Giants/Jaguars |
ESPN |
8234 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3629 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3312 |
|
4 |
March of the Penguins |
HALL |
3059 |
|
5 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2874 |
|
6 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2864 |
|
7 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2734 |
|
8 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2695 |
|
9 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2642 |
|
10 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2600 |
|
11 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2587 |
|
12 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2582 |
|
13 |
Broncos vs. Chiefs |
NFLN |
2564 |
|
14 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2552 |
|
15 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2549 |
|
16 |
Nip Tuck |
FX |
2521 |
|
17 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2490 |
|
18 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2480 |
|
19 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2461 |
|
20 |
Sportscenter |
ESPN |
2440 |
|
21 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2428 |
|
22 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2390 |
|
23 |
Jimmy Neutron |
NICK |
2369 |
|
24 |
S Timmy Jimmy Power Hour |
NICK |
2349 |
|
25 |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
USA |
2348 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
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TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Nov. 26 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
559 |
ADSM* |
387 |
|
2 |
USA |
541 |
USA |
324 |
|
3 |
TBSC |
514 |
NICK |
316 |
|
4 |
MTV |
431 |
ESPN |
295 |
|
5 |
TNT |
385 |
TBSC |
274 |
|
6 |
FX |
359 |
MTV |
270 |
|
7 |
CMDY |
340 |
TNT |
254 |
|
8 |
AEN |
272 |
NAN* |
236 |
|
9 |
SPK |
259 |
CMDY |
222 |
|
10 |
TLC |
247 |
AEN |
206 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Nov. 26 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Giants/Jaguars |
ESPN |
2345 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1621 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1326 |
|
4 |
Nip Tuck |
FX |
1315 |
|
5 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1038 |
|
6 |
Legally Blonde |
TBSC |
983 |
|
7 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
917 |
|
8 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
916 |
|
9 |
Sportscenter |
ESPN |
912 |
|
10 |
Nip Tuck |
FX |
870 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Nov. 26 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
1274 |
USA |
656 |
|
2 |
USA |
1118 |
ESPN |
586 |
|
3 |
TBSC |
957 |
TNT |
578 |
|
4 |
TNT |
891 |
NICK |
533 |
|
5 |
AEN |
688 |
ADSM* |
521 |
|
6 |
FX |
677 |
TBSC |
517 |
|
7 |
SPK |
642 |
AEN |
502 |
|
8 |
CMDY |
609 |
NAN* |
442 |
|
9 |
DISC |
560 |
FX |
393 |
|
10 |
MTV |
537 |
LIF |
383 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Nov. 26 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Giants/Jaguars |
ESPN |
5414 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2782 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2292 |
|
4 |
Nip Tuck |
FX |
2264 |
|
5 |
Broncos vs. Chiefs |
NFLN |
2102 |
|
6 |
Sportscenter |
ESPN |
1885 |
|
7 |
Legally Blonde |
TBSC |
1623 |
|
8 |
Titanic |
TNT |
1531 |
|
9 |
The Wedding Planner |
TBSC |
1480 |
|
10 |
Titanic |
TNT |
1431 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Nov. 26 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
1291 |
USA |
615 |
|
2 |
USA |
1105 |
TNT |
613 |
|
3 |
TNT |
963 |
ESPN |
551 |
|
4 |
TBSC |
868 |
AEN |
519 |
|
5 |
AEN |
718 |
TBSC |
468 |
|
6 |
SPK |
668 |
NICK |
430 |
|
7 |
FX |
596 |
LIF |
417 |
|
8 |
CORT |
582 |
NAN* |
379 |
|
9 |
SCIF |
582 |
SPK |
360 |
|
10 |
HALL |
574 |
FX |
352 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Nov. 26 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Giants/Jaguars |
ESPN |
5533 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2387 |
|
3 |
Broncos vs. Chiefs |
NFLN |
2162 |
|
4 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2009 |
|
5 |
Nip Tuck |
FX |
1875 |
|
6 |
Sportscenter |
ESPN |
1740 |
|
7 |
Titanic |
TNT |
1593 |
|
8 |
March of the Penguins |
HALL |
1455 |
|
9 |
Titanic |
TNT |
1423 |
|
10 |
Titanic |
TNT |
1413 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
