Tom Brady's return to face Patriots nets second-highest 'Sunday Night Football' TV ratings ever for NBC
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Tom Brady's return to New England to face the Patriots on Sunday night was widely billed as the most anticipated NFL regular-season game of all time. The ratings offer further support to that theory.
NBC revealed Monday that more than one-third of U.S. televisions tuned in as Brady's new club, the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, clawed out a 19-17 victory over Bill Belichick and the Pats at Gillette Stadium. The 34 share, a percentage of televisions in use tuned to the game, Buccaneers-Patriots generated established a record for NBC's "Sunday Night Football" package.
The game was the most-watched Sunday night game in nearly nine years and pulled in the broadcast's second-best ratings ever, based on preliminary data, since the network began airing "SNF" in 2006. The official figures will be finalized by Nielsen on Tuesday.
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The game registered a total audience delivery of approximately 28.5 million viewers across NBC TV, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL Digital platforms. Only the 2012 regular-season finale between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington, a de facto playoff game with the NFC East title at stake – Washington prevailed 28-18 – has done better numbers for "SNF."
The local markets with the highest viewership numbers should come as little surprise. Providence, R.I., did a 73 share, followed by Boston (70), Tampa (51) and Hartford, Conn. (44).
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tom Brady's Patriots return nets big TV ratings for NBC in 'SNF'