FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-211 1/6/04

NFL 2003 TV RECAP

NFL GAMES ACCOUNT FOR 4 OF TOP 10 NETWORK PROGRAMS;
TOP 5 AMONG MEN 18-49; 5 OF TOP 7 AMONG MEN 18-34;
9 OF TOP 10 CABLECASTS

Football fans across the country tuned their televisions at impressive rates to NFL regular-season games. Consider the following end-of-season facts:

NFL viewership on broadcast television finished ahead of network primetime viewership by its widest margin ever. NFL games on ABC, CBS and FOX averaged 15.5 million viewers – 56 percent higher than the average primetime viewership among the four major over-the-air networks (9.9 million average on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC).
NFL games account for four of the top 10 programs on network television this season (see chart below). In addition, NFL games account for the top five shows among men 18-49 and five of the top seven programs among men 18-34 (see charts below).
ESPN NFL games accounted for nine of the 10 most-watched basic cable programs in 2003 (see chart below).
NFL games were the top-ranked program locally a record 73 percent of the time, up from 69 percent last season and 55 percent in 2001. Out of 508 local rating weeks this season, the No. 1 spot for the week for all programs in those individual markets went to an NFL game 370 times. That means that more than seven of 10 times the NFL game drew higher local ratings than Survivor, CSI or any other popular TV show.
NFL ancillary programming showed large gains in viewing households this season. ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown (Sunday morning) was up 12 percent to 2.39 million viewers and NFL Prime Time on ESPN (Sunday night) was up two percent to 4.4 million viewers. The pregame shows on broadcast showed increases as well. CBS’ The NFL Today was up five percent to 3.55 million viewers and FOX NFL Sunday viewership was up two percent to 4.93 million.

Following are the top 10 network television programs nationally in average total viewers each week:

*Network*
Program	Viewers
1. CSI	23.7 million
2. Survivor: Pearl Islands	20.7 million
3. FOX National Game	19.6 million
4. CBS National Game	19.0 million
5. Everybody Loves Raymond	17.4 million
6. Friends	17.0 million
7. ABC Monday Night Football	16.8 million
8. E.R.	16.8 million
9. FOX Single Game	16.5 million
10. CSI: Miami	16.5 million

Following are this season’s top ten programs on network television in key demographics (avg. rating):

*Men 18-34*		*Men 18-49*
Program	Rating	Program	Rating
1. FOX National Game	9.4	1. FOX National Game	10.9
2. The Simpsons (8:30)	9.3	2. CBS National Game	10.2
3. CBS National Game	8.5	3. ABC Monday Night Football	9.4
4. FOX Single Game	7.8	4. FOX Single Game	9.2
5. The Simpsons (8:00)	7.7	5. CBS Single Game	7.4
6. ABC Monday Night Football	7.6	6. CSI	7.2
7. CBS Single Game	6.3	7. The Simpsons (8:30)	7.1
8. Friends	6.0	8. Survivor	6.7
9. Simple Life	5.7	9. The Simpsons (8:00)	6.4
10. FOX Regional Game	5.3	10. FOX Regional Game	6.2

Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 9/4/03-12/31/03

Following are the most watched programs on basic cable in 2003:

Program, Date	Households
1. ESPN NFL Football (Cowboys-Patriots), 11/16	8.4 million
2. ESPN NFL Football (Packers-Vikings), 11/2	8.0 million
3. ESPN NFL Football (Bills-Dolphins), 9/21	7.9 million
4. ESPN NFL Football (Raiders-Titans), 9/7	7.8 million
5. ESPN NFL Football (Broncos-Colts), 12/21	7.7 million
6. ESPN NFL Football (Bears-Vikings), 9/14	7.6 million
7. ESPN NFL Football (Steelers-Ravens), 12/28	7.3 million
8. ESPN NFL Football (Redskins-Dolphins), 11/23	7.1 million
9. TNT NBA All-Star Game, 2/9	7.1 million
10. ESPN NFL Football (Ravens-Rams), 11/9	7.1 million

Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 1/1/03-12/31/03