NFL Divisional Playoff Games TV Ratings (Jan. 12-13, 208)

Posted on January 18th, 2008. Written by Emmett Jones.

Shhhhh! Don’t tell anybody but apparently people like football better this year than last year. How do I know? The ratings, my friend. The ratings.

Saturday afternoon’s Seahawks-Packers contest (17.0 rating/34 Million viewers) pulled in 2 million more viewers than last year’s Colts-Ravens game which was in the same time slot, for an increase of almost 4%. While the Saturday night, Jags-Patriots contest had a nearly 9.8% increase over last year’s Eagles-Saints contest.

Sunday saw much of the same, as Sunday afternoon’s contest (Chargers-Colts) beat out last year’s Seahawks-Bears game (albeit barely) by 1.5%. Finally, the Giants-Cowboys game pulled in a whopping 40 million viewers, making it the most watched television event since last year’s Oscars telecast. Last year’s Patriots-Chargers game, while popular with viewers, only brought in 35 million people.

So, what if anything can be gleaned from information such as this? Has the NFL really managed to grow its television fan-base nearly 9% in a single year? I doubt it. It looks more like the NFL just lucked out, and managed to get some playoff matchups that had extremely beneficial situations. The Seahawks/Packers game is the perfect example. I’m sure that there were some viewers that were simply watching that game because they love Brett Favre.  Favre has always been a “man’s man” and is respected by people all across America, regardless of whether they’re a Packers fan. People want to see him do well, so they tune into the game, simple as that.

The Giants/Cowboys game is pretty simple to understand as well. These two teams have long been rivals, and on top of there were some big name personalities playing in the game (Tony Romo, Eli Manning, Strahan, T.O., Jessica Simpson). This game, much like the Packers game, had a story line even before the game started (should Romo not have gone to Mexico? Will T.O. throw a tantrum at some point? Will we see “consistent Eli” or “sporadic Eli”?), and it made America tune in to see what was going to happen.

As for the Jags and Pats? All I will say is “perfect season”.

The game that is sort of surprising is the Chargers-Colts game. You have the defending Super Bowl champions in the Colts, you have two of the games biggest superstars in L.T. and Peyton Manning, you have the Chargers defense, Bob Sanders, the Colts receivers…and that game barely beat out last years game of the Seahawks and Bears? I guess there is an anomaly in every situation, right? In any case, you know that Roger Goddell is pretty pissed that this week’s game isn’t Colts vs. Patriots.

So, I ask again…did the NFL significantly grow its viewership, or did they just get lucky. You already know my opinion…if you disagree, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Sports Business Daily: NFL Divisional Playoff games see 8.6% increase in viewership (subscription required)

1 Responses »

1. 

   Sportsattitude

   January 19, 2008 • 7:43 pm

   Combination of things. The Favre factor for sure, the perfect season of the Pats for sure…people getting used to the games being on late in the day and at night (didn’t use to be that way until just recently)…and the bad weather factor. Have seen a couple of interesting comments about how the league LOVES when bad weather games are on (see NHL New Year’s Day game as an example) because people love seeing other people struggle to achieve in the elements. Kinda like going to a horror movie to see people run for their lives. A lot of good luck all at once for the NFL. No, their product hasn’t become that much more “widespread.” That being said, I would expect this Super Bowl to be one of if not the highest rated ever providing at least either the Pats or the Pack make it…and if it turns out to be both of them…that’s gonna be an all-time rating success.

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