NBC kicked off NFL season (6.6 demo rating, 18.96 million viewers) and dominated Thursday, though the 45-minute rain-delayed play between Philly Eagles and Atlanta Falcons took a ratings plunge compared to previous year’s 7.7 demo rating, 21.79M viewers season starter.
The Falcons/Eagles NFL kickoff was the top sporting event in the metered markets since NBC’s coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympics; the weather-delayed game’s 13.4 doubled the combined primetime averages of ABC, CBS and Fox.
Meanwhile CBS’s Big Brother (1.4, 5.187M) was the highest rated non-sports programming in the demos by a considerable margin, ticking up 1/10th compared to previous Thursday to beat its closest entertainment competition in adults 18-49 by 133%.
And ABC’s 9 PM Match Game (0.6, 3.27M), back from a break, also ticked up 1/10th, while Take Two at 10 PM (0.4, 2.41M) finished flat compared to previous week.
NBC (6.0, 17.283M) ranked No. 1 from 8-11 PM, trouncing CBS (1.0, 4.644M) ABC (0.6, 3.349M) and Fox (0.4, 1.441M), and CW (0.1, 622K).
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