NFL 2015: A Local Success (Again) 1
BackgroundBackground 2 Following 2014’s successful format, CBS & NFLN once again teamed up to air 8 Thursday night games in 2015 on both networks. Seven games aired between September 17 th and October 29 th, with the eighth game airing on December 3 rd. The remainder of the Thursday games aired on NFLN, and were simulcast on broadcast television stations in the primary markets of the participating teams. Additionally, NFLN carried two bonus Saturday night games in Weeks 15 & 16.
2015 Thursday Schedule 3 CBS & NFLN = Weeks 2-8 & 13 NFLN Only = Weeks 9-11 & 14-16
CBS & NFLN Weeks 2-8 & 13 4
CBS & NFLN 2015: Weeks 2-8 & 13 5 Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 9/17-10/29/15 and 12/3/15 The national CBS ratings were 4-5x higher than those on NFLN!
CBS+NFLN: 2015 vs Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 9/17-10/29/15 and 12/3/15; 9/11-10/23/14 While both networks saw some slight increases, the overall results were on par with 2014.
Local Strength 7 The CBS local affiliates had tremendous success as well.
CBS & NFLN Weeks 2-8 & 13 Household Ratings 8 The following pages look at both the national and local HH ratings in the playing team’s home market. Nationally, CBS was as high as 6X greater than NFLN, while locally, it was as high as 13X.
CBS & NFLN: Weeks 2 & 3 9 Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 9/17/15 & 9/24/15 Household Ratings
CBS & NFLN: Weeks 4 & 5 10 Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 10/1/15 & 10/8/15 Household Ratings
CBS & NFLN: Weeks 6 & 7 11 Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 10/15/15 & 10/22/15 Household Ratings
CBS & NFLN: Weeks 8 & Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 10/29/15 & 12/3/15 Household Ratings
CBS & NFLN Weeks 2-8 & 13 Men Ratings 13 The following pages look at both the national and local Men ratings in the playing team’s home market (where available). Nationally, CBS was as high as 4X greater than NFLN, while locally, it was as high as 10X.
CBS & NFLN: Weeks 2 & 3 14 Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 9/17/15 & 9/24/15 Men Ratings Kansas City is a Metered Market. Only HH ratings available.
CBS & NFLN: Weeks 4 & 5 15 Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 10/1/15 & 10/8/15 Indianapolis is a Metered Market. Only HH ratings available. Men Ratings
CBS & NFLN: Weeks 6 & 7 16 Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 10/15/15 & 10/22/15 Men Ratings New Orleans is a Metered Market. Only HH ratings available.
CBS & NFLN: Weeks 8 & Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 10/29/15 & 12/3/15 Men Ratings Milwaukee is a Metered Market. Only HH ratings available.
NFLN Only Weeks 9-11 &
NFLN Only 19 Locally, all the NFLN Only (Weeks 9-11 & 14-16) games were simulcast on the CBS affiliates in the team’s markets. Once again, the broadcast stations were the viewers choice, exceeding the local NFLN HH delivery by as much as 733%.
NFLN Only Weeks 9-11 & Household Ratings 20 The following pages look at both the national NFLN HH rating delivery and the local HH ratings in the playing team’s home market. The local advantage was as high as 8X greater.
NFLN Only: Weeks 9 & Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 11/5/15 & 11/12/15 Household Ratings
NFLN Only: Weeks 11 & Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 11/19/15 & 12/10/15 Household Ratings
NFLN Only: Weeks 15 & Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 12/17/15 & 12/24/15 Household Ratings
NFLN Only: Weeks 15 & 16 (Sat. Games) 24 Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 12/19/15 & 12/26/15 Household Ratings
NFLN Only Weeks 9-11 & Men Ratings 25 The following pages look at both the national NFLN Men rating delivery and the local Men ratings in the playing team’s home market (where available). The local advantage was as high as 6X greater.
NFLN Only: Weeks 9 & Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 11/5/15 & 11/12/15 Men Ratings Cincinnati is a Metered Market. Only HH ratings available. Buffalo is a Metered Market. Only HH ratings available.
NFLN Only: Weeks 11 & Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 11/19/15 & 12/10/15 Men Ratings Jacksonville is a Metered Market. Only HH ratings available. Nashville is a Metered Market. Only HH ratings available.
NFLN Only: Weeks 15 & Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 12/17/15 & 12/24/15 Men Ratings San Diego is a Metered Market. Only HH ratings available.
NFLN Only: Weeks 15 & 16 (Sat. Games) 29 Source: Nielsen, Live+SD deliveries, 12/19/15 & 12/26/15 Men Ratings
RecapRecap When the games aired on both CBS and NFLN (Weeks 2-8 & 13): CBS nationally averaged a 10.9 HH rating and a 9.2 Men rating. NFLN averaged a 2.1 HH rating and a 2.4 Men rating. CBS increased +6% with the HH rating, up from a 10.3 in 2014 to a 10.9 in Men rating increased +5%, up from an 8.8 in 2014 to a 9.2 in Local CBS affiliates had even greater success with the games. Looking at the home markets of the teams playing, local CBS affiliates averaged a 28.9 HH rating, compared to a 3.8 HH rating on NFLN, a 661% advantage! CBS affiliates continued to carry the NFLN-only games (Weeks 9-11 & 14-16) in the two playing team’s markets, and viewers in those markets continued to watch the broadcast option. For example, in Week 9, WKRC in Cincinnati delivered a 40.0 HH rating, as opposed to a 4.8 HH rating on NFLN in the market. 30