Thursday Final Nationals: Jets-Bills on CBS and NFL Network Draws Least-Viewed 'Thursday Night Football' Opener in Three Years

CBS easily won Thursday evening with the return of “Thursday Night Football” featuring the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills. However, it was the lowest-rated, least-watched TNF premiere (including streaming data) since 2013 (N.Y. Jets-New England on NFL Network and local broadcast affiliates in New York and Boston; 6.9 household rating, 11 million viewers). Within the span of seven days which includes TNF, six of the eight NFL telecast windows on the various networks (NBC, CBS and ESPN, in particular) have seen multi-year ratings lows.

On the streaming side, TNF drew an average of 314,000 viewers – a new record for audience; 243,000 of those sampled Jets-Bills on Twitter, the first time an NFL game aired on its platform.

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	PROGRAM	AFF*	CVG* (PCT)	HH/Share	Viewers (000)	Adults 18-34	Adults 18-49	Adults 25-54
* AFF = Number of affiliates (stations) airing the program
* CVG = percent of coverage in U.S.
	Thursday, September 15, 2016
8-11	Network Average			2.2/4	3035	0.4/2	0.6/2	0.8/3
8:00	Grey’s Anatomy (r)	249	94	2.3/4	3269	0.4/2	0.6/2	0.8/3
9:00	Grey’s Anatomy (r)	249	94	2.5/4	3513	0.4/2	0.7/3	1.0/3
10:00	How to Get Away with Murder (r)	249	94	1.7/3	2324	0.3/1	0.5/2	0.7/2
	PROGRAM	AFF*	CVG* (PCT)	HH/Share	Viewers (000)	Adults 18-34	Adults 18-49	Adults 25-54
8-11	Network Average			6.8/12	10909	2.9/14	3.6/13	4.2/13
7:30	CBS+NFLN Thursday Night Kickoff (p)	251	95	2.9/6	4209	0.8/5	1.1/6	1.4/6
7:58	CBS+NFLN Thursday Night Kickoff (p)	251	95	4.4/9	6888	1.6/9	2.0/10	2.6/10
8:20	CBS+NFLN Thursday Night Pre-Kick (p)	251	95	5.9/11	9261	2.4/13	2.9/13	3.5/13
8:27	CBS+NFLN Thursday Night Football N.Y. Jets @ Buffalo (p) (thru 11:37)	251	95	9.5/18	15390	4.5/22	5.4/21	6.3/21
	PROGRAM	AFF*	CVG* (PCT)	HH/Share	Viewers (000)	Adults 18-34	Adults 18-49	Adults 25-54
8-11	Network Average			2.0/4	2918	0.5/2	0.7/3	1.0/3
8:00	Superstore (r)	239	94	2.2/4	3186	0.5/2	0.8/3	1.1/4
8:30	Superstore (r)	242	94	1.8/3	2667	0.4/2	0.8/3	1.0/3
9:00	Superstore (r)	242	94	1.8/3	2669	0.5/2	0.8/3	1.1/3
9:30	Superstore (r)	242	94	1.8/3	2675	0.5/2	0.8/3	1.0/3
10:00	Chicago Med (r)	242	94	2.2/4	3157	0.4/2	0.7/2	0.9/3
	PROGRAM	AFF*	CVG* (PCT)	HH/Share	Viewers (000)	Adults 18-34	Adults 18-49	Adults 25-54
8-10	Network Average			1.5/3	2165	0.3/2	0.5/2	0.7/2
8:00	Rosewood (r)	255	94	1.6/3	2253	0.4/2	0.6/2	0.8/3
8:59	Bones (r)	255	94	1.4/2	2079	0.3/1	0.4/2	0.6/2
	PROGRAM	AFF*	CVG* (PCT)	HH/Share	Viewers (000)	Adults 18-34	Adults 18-49	Adults 25-54
8-11	Network Average			0.5/1	780	0.2/1	0.2/1	0.3/1
8:00	The Flash (r)	252	92	0.6/1	865	0.2/1	0.3/1	0.3/1
9:00	Beauty and the Beast	252	92	0.5/1	696	0.2/1	0.2/1	0.2/1
	PROGRAM			HH/Share	Viewers (000)	Adults 18-34	Adults 18-49	Adults 25-54
8-11	Network Average			0.9/2	1556		0.5/2
7:00	La Rosa de Guadalupe			0.9/2	1591		0.5/3
8:00	Despertar Contigo			0.9/2	1457		0.4/2
9:00	Tres Veces Ana			1.1/2	1782		0.6/2
10:03	El Color de la Pasión			0.9/2	1430		0.5/2
	PROGRAM			HH/Share	Viewers (000)	Adults 18-34	Adults 18-49	Adults 25-54
8-11	Network Average			0.3/0	457		0.2/1
7:00	Mi Corazon es Tuyo			0.2/0	322		0.1/1
8:00	Moisés y Los Diez Mandamientos			0.3/1	550		0.2/1
9:00	La Ronca de Oro			0.3/1	521		0.2/1
10:00	El Príncipe			0.2/0	300		0.1/0
	PROGRAM			HH/Share	Viewers (000)	Adults 18-34	Adults 18-49	Adults 25-54
8-11	Network Average			1.0/2	1712		0.7/3
7:00	Caso Cerrado: Edición Estelar			1.0/2	1576		0.4/2
8:00	Silvana Sin Lana			0.8/1	1382		0.5/2
9:00	Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso			1.0/2	1742		0.7/3
10:00	Señora Acero 3: La Coyote			1.1/2	2013		0.9/3

Sub-Demo Breakdowns – Thursday 9/15/16

“Thursday Night Kickoff” (CBS+NFL Network, 7:30)
Women 18-34: 0.5/3
Men 18-34: 1.8/8
Women 18-49: 0.8/4
Men 18-49: 1.5/8

“Thursday Night Kickoff” (CBS+NFL Network, 7:58)
Women 18-34: 0.9/5
Men 18-34: 2.2/14
Women 18-49: 1.3/6
Men 18-49: 2.8/14

“Thursday Night Kickoff” (NFL Network, 7:58)
Women 18-34: 0.22
Men 18-34: 0.76
Women 18-49: 0.27
Men 18-49: 0.85

“Thursday Night Pre-Kick” (CBS+NFL Network)
Women 18-34: 1.3/7
Men 18-34: 3.4/20
Women 18-49: 1.8/8
Men 18-49: 4.0/18

“Thursday Night Pre-Kick” (NFL Network)
Women 18-34: 0.28
Men 18-34: 1.14
Women 18-49: 0.34
Men 18-49: 1.15

“Thursday Night Football: N.Y. Jets @ Buffalo” (CBS+NFL Network)
Women 18-34: 2.6/13
Men 18-34: 6.4/32
Women 18-49: 3.3/13
Men 18-49: 7.5/29

“Thursday Night Football: N.Y. Jets @ Buffalo” (NFL Network)
Women 18-34: 0.66
Men 18-34: 1.90
Women 18-49: 0.77
Men 18-49: 2.15

“Beauty and the Beast” (CW)
Women 18-34: 0.3/1
Men 18-34: 0.1/0
Women 18-49: 0.3/1
Men 18-49: 0.1/1

“60 Days In” (A&E)
Women 18-34: 0.39
Men 18-34: 0.37
Women 18-49: 0.59
Men 18-49: 0.48

“Queen of the South” (USA)
Women 18-34: 0.32
Men 18-34: 0.27
Women 18-49: 0.46
Men 18-49: 0.34

“Nick Cannon Wild N’ Out” (MTV)
Women 18-34: 0.27
Men 18-34: 0.31
Women 18-49: 0.22
Men 18-49: 0.26

“Better Things” (FX)
Women 18-34: 0.27
Men 18-34: 0.18
Women 18-49: 0.25
Men 18-49: 0.18

Cable Rankings – Thursday 9/15/16

What follows are the top 100 most-watched shows in prime time on cable (by order of network) for Thursday, September 15:

* Vwrs = Viewers in thousands; V-No. = Prime time rank in viewers; D-No. = Prime time rank in demo (adults 18-49)
V-No.*	D-No.*	Program	Net	Start	Dur	Vwrs*	A1849
88	67	60 DAYS IN	A&E	8:00 PM	45	510	0.17
67	45	60 DAYS IN PRE-SHOW	A&E	8:45 PM	15	678	0.25
29	8	60 DAYS IN	A&E	9:00 PM	61	1203	0.54
57	24	BEHIND BARS: ROOKIE YEAR	A&E	10:01 PM	62	761	0.34
44	29	KING OF THE HILL	ADSM	8:00 PM	30	879	0.32
41	18	BOB’S BURGERS	ADSM	8:30 PM	30	950	0.38
30	10	BOB’S BURGERS	ADSM	9:00 PM	30	1194	0.52
28	11	CLEVELAND SHOW	ADSM	9:30 PM	30	1227	0.51
18	4	AMERICAN DAD	ADSM	10:00 PM	30	1468	0.64
19	5	AMERICAN DAD	ADSM	10:30 PM	30	1429	0.61
84	79	AMC MOVIE: THE ITALIAN JOB	AMC	8:00 PM	150	541	0.15
99	99	RUGGED JUSTICE: OFFICERS	APL	9:01 PM	61	468	0.10
36	30	FLIPPING OUT	BRAVO	9:00 PM	60	997	0.32
37	56	ANDERSON COOPER 360	CNN	8:00 PM	60	995	0.20
35	63	ANDERSON COOPER 360	CNN	9:00 PM	60	1008	0.18
40	53	CNN TONIGHT	CNN	10:00 PM	60	956	0.21
100	80	FAST N LOUD	DISC	8:00 PM	60	459	0.15
80	69	FAST N LOUD	DISC	9:00 PM	60	575	0.17
58	42	FAST N LOUD	DISC	10:00 PM	60	757	0.26
27	39	BEDTIME STORIES	DSNY	8:00 PM	105	1237	0.27
48	64	BEST FRIENDS WHENEVER	DSNY	9:45 PM	25	799	0.18
52	70	BUNK’D	DSNY	10:10 PM	25	776	0.17
51	74	LIV AND MADDIE	DSNY	10:35 PM	25	780	0.16
53	61	SOFIA THE FIRST	DISJR	8:00 PM	25	768	0.18
54	58	SO MUCH YOU CAN DO	DISJR	8:25 PM	5	765	0.19
69	72	MY FRIENDS TIGGER & POOH	DISJR	8:30 PM	25	654	0.16
74	77	QUIET IS	DISJR	8:55 PM	5	605	0.16
75	81	DOC MCSTUFFINS	DISJR	9:00 PM	25	585	0.15
86	87	DJ NIGHT LIGHT	DISJR	9:25 PM	5	525	0.13
7	2	COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: HOUSTON / CINCINNATI	ESPN	7:25 PM	216	2159	0.71
64	49	CHOPPED TEENS 3	FOOD	8:00 PM	60	721	0.22
42	40	CHOPPED	FOOD	9:00 PM	60	915	0.26
59	46	BEAT BOBBY FLAY	FOOD	10:00 PM	30	756	0.25
61	48	BEAT BOBBY FLAY	FOOD	10:30 PM	30	745	0.24
2	36	THE O’REILLY FACTOR	FOXNC	8:00 PM	60	3228	0.29
3	43	THE KELLY FILE	FOXNC	9:00 PM	60	2769	0.26
5	41	HANNITY	FOXNC	10:00 PM	60	2335	0.26
85	71	BIG SCREEN MOVIE: HOME ALONE II: LOST IN NY	FRFM	6:00 PM	165	533	0.16
87	78	BIG SCREEN MOVIE: WALL-E	FRFM	8:45 PM	135	514	0.15
66	27	FX MOVIE PRIME: 22 JUMP STREET	FX	7:30 PM	150	688	0.33
81	50	BETTER THINGS	FX	10:00 PM	33	570	0.21
70	86	FAMILY FEUD (HARVEY)	GSN	8:00 PM	30	648	0.14
68	76	FAMILY FEUD (HARVEY)	GSN	8:30 PM	30	672	0.16
94	98	FAMILY FEUD (HARVEY)	GSN	10:30 PM	30	484	0.10
96	85	THE MIDDLE	HALL	9:30 PM	30	477	0.14
82	65	THE MIDDLE	HALL	10:00 PM	30	568	0.18
72	62	THE MIDDLE	HALL	10:30 PM	30	619	0.18
26	44	MOUNTAIN MEN	HIST	8:00 PM	60	1252	0.26
4	12	MOUNTAIN MEN	HIST	9:00 PM	63	2586	0.49
21	35	ICE ROAD TRUCKERS	HIST	10:03 PM	60	1381	0.30
15	19	FLIP OR FLOP	HGTV	8:00 PM	30	1518	0.38
14	21	FLIP OR FLOP	HGTV	8:30 PM	30	1540	0.36
6	9	FLIP OR FLOP	HGTV	9:00 PM	30	2327	0.53
8	13	FLIP OR FLOP	HGTV	9:30 PM	30	2000	0.47
10	22	HOUSE HUNTERS	HGTV	10:00 PM	30	1936	0.36
12	26	HOUSE HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL	HGTV	10:30 PM	30	1837	0.34
49	73	BLOOD RELATIVES	ID	8:00 PM	60	796	0.16
34	54	20/20 ON ID	ID	9:00 PM	60	1039	0.20
38	51	BLOOD RELATIVES	ID	10:00 PM	60	983	0.21
22	28	ROAD TO THE RUNWAY	LIF	8:00 PM	60	1360	0.33
13	16	PROJECT RUNWAY	LIF	9:00 PM	92	1721	0.40
75	66	PROJECT RUNWAY	LIF	10:32 PM	90	585	0.17
20	84	ALL IN W/ CHRIS HAYES	MSNBC	8:00 PM	60	1390	0.14
11	55	RACHEL MADDOW SHOW	MSNBC	9:00 PM	60	1871	0.20
17	82	LAST WORD W/ L. ODONNELL	MSNBC	10:00 PM	60	1474	0.15
95	47	NICK CANNON WILD N OUT S8	MTV	10:00 PM	31	480	0.24
25	6	NFLN THURSDAY NIGHT KICK-OFF2 (0.86 HH)	NFLN	7:58 PM	22	1328	0.56
1	1	NFLN THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: 2016 WK 2 – NYJ VS. BUF (2.07 HH)	NFLN	8:27 PM	190	3388	1.46
65	83	SHIMMER AND SHINE	NKJR	8:00 PM	30	696	0.15
79	94	SHIMMER AND SHINE	NKJR	8:30 PM	30	577	0.12
77	89	BUBBLE GUPPIES	NKJR	9:00 PM	30	583	0.13
89	93	BUBBLE GUPPIES	NKJR	9:30 PM	30	508	0.12
93	95	TEAM UMIZOOMI	NKJR	10:00 PM	24	493	0.11
97	96	TEAM UMIZOOMI	NKJR	10:24 PM	24	474	0.11
23	23	NICK AT NITE MOVIE: PARENT TRAP, THE	NAN	8:00 PM	180	1358	0.36
90	60	SPIKE TV MOVIE: THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION	SPIKE	8:00 PM	210	505	0.19
92	59	SYFY MOVIE: ORPHAN	SYFY	6:30 PM	150	498	0.19
54	32	2 BROKE GIRLS	TBS	8:00 PM	30	765	0.30
43	25	2 BROKE GIRLS	TBS	8:30 PM	30	883	0.34
16	7	BIG BANG THEORY	TBS	9:00 PM	30	1483	0.54
9	3	BIG BANG THEORY	TBS	9:30 PM	30	1960	0.70
32	14	2 BROKE GIRLS	TBS	10:00 PM	30	1088	0.41
47	20	2 BROKE GIRLS	TBS	10:30 PM	30	852	0.37
91	88	MY 600-LB LIFE	TLC	9:00 PM	60	501	0.13
73	57	MY 600-LB LIFE	TLC	10:00 PM	53	618	0.20
71	52	COUNTING ON: FIRST LOOK	TLC	10:53 PM	7	638	0.21
97	97	MYSTERIES AT THE MUSEUM	TRAV	8:00 PM	60	474	0.11
63	17	IMPRACTICAL JOKERS	TRUTV	10:00 PM	30	737	0.38
78	38	IJ: INSIDE JOKES	TRUTV	10:30 PM	31	581	0.28
39	34	TNT BIG PICTURE MOVIES: BLENDED	TNT	8:00 PM	150	972	0.30
60	37	TNT BIG PICTURE MOVIES: BLENDED	TNT	10:30 PM	150	749	0.29
62	90	ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW	TVL	8:00 PM	30	744	0.13
83	100	EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND	TVL	8:30 PM	30	551	0.09
56	92	EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND	TVL	9:00 PM	30	762	0.12
50	91	EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND	TVL	9:30 PM	30	784	0.12
46	68	EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND	TVL	10:00 PM	30	875	0.17
45	75	EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND	TVL	10:30 PM	30	877	0.16
31	31	LAW & ORDER: SVU	USA	8:00 PM	60	1094	0.31
33	33	LAW & ORDER: SVU	USA	9:00 PM	60	1084	0.30
24	15	QUEEN OF THE SOUTH	USA	10:00 PM	60	1353	0.40

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

6 Comments

Scott says:

September 18, 2016 at 5:05 pm

Douglas, what were the 18-49 and total viewers for Family Feud and Winsanity on GSN? Also, may you answer my earlier GSN requests from primetime 8/23, 8/25 and 8/30…thank you
- SonOfTheBronx says:
  
  September 18, 2016 at 5:33 pm
  
  GSN 9/15, in total viewers (adults 18-49)
  
  8:00 Family Feud 648k (173k)
  8:30 Family Feud 672k (201k)
  9:00 Winsanity 357k (81k)
  9:30 Family Feud 368k (80k)
  10:00 Family Feud 458k (129k)
  10:30 Family Feud 484k (134k)
Todd Myers says:

September 19, 2016 at 5:10 pm

What were the ratings for Sports Shorts on Drone Racing League on ESPN2 last Thursday?

Thank you,

Todd
- Todd Myers says:
  
  September 20, 2016 at 4:32 pm
  
  Hi Douglas – can you tell me the rating for Sports Shorts and Drone Racing League on September 15 on ESPN2? thx
- SonOfTheBronx says:
  
  September 20, 2016 at 4:44 pm
  
  Sports Shorts (ESPN2, 9/15 10:00-11:05 p.m.)
  – 94,000 viewers
  – 0.03 adults 18-49 rating
  
  Drone Racing League (ESPN2, 9/15 11:05 p.m.-midnight)
  – 106,000 viewers
  – 0.04 adults 18-49 rating
  - Todd Myers says:
    
    September 20, 2016 at 5:04 pm
    
    thank you!

Thursday Final Nationals: Jets-Bills on CBS and NFL Network Draws Least-Viewed ‘Thursday Night Football’ Opener in Three Years

Thursday Final Nationals: Panthers-Broncos on NBC Draws Lowest-Rated NFL Kickoff Game in Seven Years

Thursday Final Nationals: Rio 2016 Summer Olympics on NBCUniversal Matches Second Thursday in London 2012 on NBC

6 Comments