NFL opener scores fifth-best rating for NBC

Up against the Democratic National Convention with a big-buzz speech from former President Bill Clinton, the NFL opener on NBC pulled strong ratings, if not as strong as last year.

The game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants averaged a 16.5 household rating, according to Nielsen’s metered markets, tying for the fifth-best metered-market rating ever for a regular-season primetime game on NBC.

The game was down 4 percent from last year’s kickoff between the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers, which averaged a 17.2.

Last year’s game aired on a Thursday, when the NFL kickoff game traditionally takes place. It was changed this year because of the Democratic National Convention, where President Barack Obama will give his acceptance speech tonight.

Elsewhere on broadcast, Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” averaged a 1.4 from 8 to 10 p.m., finishing 0.1 behind last week.

And CBS’s “Big Brother” averaged a 2.1 at 8 p.m., down 9 percent from last week.

NBC led the night among 18-49s with an 8.2 average overnight rating and a 22 share. Univision was second at 1.6/4, Fox and CBS tied for third at 1.4/4, ABC was fifth at 1.0/3, Telemundo sixth at 0.5/1 and CW seventh at 0.4/1.
 
As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback, which includes shows replayed before 3 a.m. the night before. Seven-day DVR data won't be available for several weeks. Forty-five percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.
 
Also, ratings for NBC's NFL coverage are approximate as fast nationals measure timeslot and not actual program data.
 
NBC finished first each hour starting with a 7.0 at 8 p.m. for the end of "NFL Kickoff" (5.5) and the start of its game (8.5), followed by CBS with a 2.1 for "Brother." Univision was third with a 1.6 for "Por Ella Soy Eva," Fox fourth with a 1.4 for "Dance" and ABC fifth with a 1.0 for repeats of "The Middle" and "Suburgatory." The CW and Telemundo tied for sixth at 0.4, CW for "Oh Sit!" and Telemundo for "Rosa Diamante.”
 
At 9 p.m. NBC was first with a 9.2 for football, while Univision moved to second with a 1.8 for "Abismo de Pasion." Fox was third with a 1.5 for more "Dance," CBS fourth with a 1.2 for a "Criminal Minds" rerun, ABC fifth with a 1.1 for repeats of "Modern Family" and "Suburgatory," Telemundo sixth with a 0.5 for "Corazon Valiente" and CW seventh with a 0.3 for a repeat of "Supernatural."
 
NBC was first again at 10 p.m. with an 8.4 for football, with Univision second with a 1.3 for "Amor Bravio." ABC and CBS tied for third at 0.9, each for Democratic National Convention coverage. They were both up from Tuesday’s first-night coverage. Telemundo was fifth with a 0.6 for "Pablo Escobar: El Patron del Mal" (0.8) and "El Rostro de la Venganza" (0.5).
 
Among households, NBC finished first for the night with a 12.7 average overnight rating and 7 share, with CBS second at 3.3/5, Fox third at 2.6/4, ABC fourth at 2.5/4, Univision fifth at 2.0/3, Telemundo sixth at 0.7/1 and CW seventh at 0.5/1.
 

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