TV Ratings: CBS' NFL overrun forces split with NBC's Sunday football

NBC gets season low Sunday Night Football numbers for Eagles/49ers

By Daniel Fienberg Monday, Oct 11, 2010 11:46 AM

Kevin Kolb of the Philadelphia Eagles

Credit: AP

Fast National ratings for Sunday, October 10, 2010.

With NBC's Sunday Night Football matchup between the Eagles and 49ers drawing only tepid audience interest and its own afternoon NFL coverage running a full hour into primetime for much of the country, CBS was able to force a rare ratings split on Sunday night.

Among adults 18-49, NBC held onto its normal perch with a 4.7 rating, nipping the 4.6 rating for CBS in the key demographic. ABC's 2.6 rating was third, bettering the 2.5 rating for FOX.

Overall, though, CBS averaged an estimated 15.28 million viewers to go with a 9.3 rating/15 share. NBC was second with 11.89 million viewers and a 7.3/12. ABC's 5.7/9 and 8.936 million viewers topped the 3.2/5 and 5.41 million viewers for FOX.

Note that because of CBS' overruns, these ratings are particularly subject to change.

Also note that NBC's football was competing against a playoff baseball game that also featured a Philadelphia-based team, perhaps explaining away the season-low Sunday Night Football numbers.

7 p.m. -- CBS started the night in first with a whopping 22.43 million viewers and a 7.2 demo rating for several tight late-afternoon NFL games. ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" was second with 6.35 million viewers, edging the 5.925 million viewers for NBC's "Football Night in America." FOX's repeats of "The Cleveland Show" and "The Simpsons" finished fourth.

8 p.m. -- In the 8 p.m. hour, CBS stayed in first overall with 14.65 million viewers for "60 Minutes" (and "Amazing Race" in part of the country). The start of NBC's football game between Philadelphia and San Francisco did 13.93 million viewers for second overall and did a 5.5 demo rating to win the hour. ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" was third with 8.15 million viewers, beating the 6.16 million viewers for FOX's "The Simpsons" and "The Cleveland Show."

9 p.m. -- NBC's football coverage moved into first in the 9 p.m. hour with 14.73 million viewers and a 5.8 demo rating. ABC's "Desperate Housewives" had 12.195 million viewers to barely top the 12.107 million viewers for CBS' "The Amazing Race" (or "Undercover Boss"), with both shows earning a 3.8 demo rating. FOX's "Family Guy" and "American Dad" averaged 6.2 million viewers for fourth.

10 p.m. -- The Eagles and 49ers finished the night in first for NBC with an estimed 12.974 million viewers and a 5.4 demo rating. CBS' "Undercover Boss" (and "CSI: Miami") averaged 11.93 million viewers for second. ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" finished third with 9.04 million viewers.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change, particularly in the case of live events.

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.