| FOR USE AS DESIRED | ||
| NFL-111 12/27/00 |
NFL FINISHES SEASON STRONG, TOPPING LOCAL RATINGS IN 22 NFL MARKETS; MAINTAINS TOP SPOT EACH WEEK IN 13 NFL CITIES
NFL games were the top-rated television program in 22 NFL cities for the television week of December 18-24, according to Nielsen Media Research. That’s the highest total since NFL programs ranked first in 23 markets in Week 2.
In addition, NFL programming represented two of the top three shows in 12 NFL cities and the top three programs in four NFL cites.
For the season, NFL games were the top-rated television program every week the local team has played in 13 NFL cities. Those cities are: Buffalo, Denver, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Tampa, and Washington, D.C.
Following are the 22 NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of December 18-24 (other NFL markets where NFL football was ranked #2 or #3 are not listed):
| BALTIMORE | MINNEAPOLIS |
| #1 NY Jets @ Baltimore | #1 Minnesota @ Indianapolis |
| #2 Heineken-SH H (WJZ-Sun) | #2 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay |
| #3 West Wing | #3 Tampa Bay @ Green Bay |
| BOSTON | NEW ORLEANS |
| #1 Miami @ New England | #1 St. Louis @ New Orleans |
| #2 Law & Order | #2 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay |
| #3 West Wing | #3 Minnesota @ Indianapolis |
| BUFFALO | PHILADELPHIA |
| #1 Buffalo @ Seattle (combined ESPN and WNYO) | #1 Cincinnati @ Philadelphia |
| #2 Raymond | #2 Millionaire Tue |
| #3 Becker | #3 Raymond |
| CHICAGO | PHOENIX |
| #1 Chicago @ Detroit | #1 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay |
| #2 Millionaire Wed | #2 Law & Order |
| #3 Law & Order | #3 West Wing |
| DALLAS | PITTSBURGH |
| #1 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay | #1 Pittsburgh @ San Diego |
| #2 Millionaire Tue | #2 60 Minutes Special |
| #3 Minnesota @ Indianapolis | #3 Raymond |
| DENVER | ST. LOUIS |
| #1 San Francisco @ Denver | #1 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay |
| #2 Fox 31 News | #2 St. Louis @ New Orleans |
| #3 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay | #3 Law & Order |
| INDIANAPOLIS | SAN DIEGO |
| #1 Minnesota @ Indianapolis | #1 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay |
| #2 Raymond | #2 Pittsburgh @ San Diego |
| #3 Becker | #3 Law & Order |
| JACKSONVILLE | SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND |
| #1 Jacksonville @ NY Giants | #1 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay |
| #2 CBS evening news | #2 San Francisco @ Denver |
| #3 Eyewitness news | #3 West Wing |
| KANSAS CITY | SEATTLE |
| #1 Kansas City @ Atlanta | #1 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay |
| #2 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay | #2 Millionaire Thurs |
| #3 Judging Amy | #3 Millionaire Tue |
| MIAMI | TAMPA |
| #1 Miami @ New England | #1 Tampa Bay @ Green Bay |
| #2 Minnesota @ Indianapolis | #2 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay |
| #3 Raymond | #3 Minnesota @ Indianapolis |
| MILWAUKEE | WASHINGTON, D.C. |
| #1 Tampa Bay @ Green Bay | #1 Arizona @ Washington |
| #2 Minnesota @ Indianapolis | #2 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay |
| #3 MNF St. Louis @ Tampa Bay | #3 West Wing |
Source: Nielsen Media Research, 2000