Buffalo Bills were 4th in the league for TV ratings last season!

[Michael82]

This is old, but I figured that some people would want to see this...

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2004/12/20/daily19.html

The Bills-Bengals game, broadcast on WIVB, had a 42.6 rating with a 66 share, meaning two out of every three TVs in the Buffalo area were tuned to the game.

Since meters were introduced to the market prior to the 2000 season, only two games against drew more viewers locally. Those games were against the New England Patriots (44 rating) in November 2002 and the Miami Dolphins (44.3) in December 2002.

According to figures from the NFL and Nielsen Media Research and not including the Cincinnati game, the Bills are averaging a 35.2 rating and 59 share, ranking the team fourth in the league behind Green Bay, Pittsburgh and Kansas City, in that order.

[Michael82]

Oh and even when we sucked....

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2004/01/05/daily40.html

All Bills' home games sold prior to the NFL's blackout deadline, allowing the entire schedule to be televised in the Buffalo market. Nielsen Media Research said TV ratings slipped by 7.6 percent from 2002, a likely result of the team's 6-10 record.

The average rating for a Bills' game was 36.5 with a 61 share (number of households with a TV in use), down a 39 rating and 65 share a year ago. The regular season finale, played Dec. 27 at New England, drew a rating of just 24.8, the lowest for a Bills' game since meters were introduced to the market in 2000.

Bob Gallivan, research director for WIVB, which broadcast 12 Bills' games, said Buffalo was the top market for CBS' coverage of NFL games with an overall rating of 26.2, just ahead of Kansas City's 25.9 rating.

[Italian Stallion]

yeah the team needs to move out of this non profitable hellhole.........(sarcasim off)

[buffalofan19]

I've always been wondering. How exactly do they figure out the ratings? I'm not saying I don't believe these numbers, but are they based on a survey or can they really tell which TV has what channel on?

[Michael82]

I've always been wondering. How exactly do they figure out the ratings? I'm not saying I don't believe these numbers, but are they based on a survey or can they really tell which TV has what channel on?

That would be a question for Dozer. But I think the Nielsen ratings systems have a way to figure out what channel we are watching.

[Michael82]

yeah the team needs to move out of this non profitable hellhole.........(sarcasim off)

Good post man! The more that I think of it, I'm confident that the Bills will stay in Buffalo. The NFL does not want to lose a fan base as big as the Bills have and they know that if they allow them to move, they will lose us.

[gr8slayer]

We really do have one of the best fan bases in the NFL. I live in Dallas, TX and there are three Bills Backers Clubs. IN COWPIE COUNTRY. Hell even back home (only five miles fromt he border) there are Bills Backers.

Where do they get this "they need to be moved, no one cares about them" crap? If the commish allows for, or even mentions the Bills being moved we should all crap in a bag, set it on his front porch, and light it on fire.

[bledslow]

We really do have one of the best fan bases in the NFL. I live in Dallas, TX and there are three Bills Backers Clubs. IN COWPIE COUNTRY. Hell even back home (only five miles fromt he border) there are Bills Backers.

Where do they get this "they need to be moved, no one cares about them" crap? If the commish allows for, or even mentions the Bills being moved we should all crap in a bag, set it on his front porch, and light it on fire.

WE have one of the best fan bases in the nfl? you were once a pats fan and have been proven to be a phony bills fan. you flip flop faster then john kerry and most likely will be a fan of a different team in 2 years. how can somebody be a fan of one team and then switch. your loyalty to your alliances are p_i_s_s poor. why anybody would go to being a bills fan after being a pats fan the year AFTER the pats win the superbowl is ******ed at best. you are a phony and everybody should know how WEAK your loyalty REALLY IS

[gr8slayer]

WE have one of the best fan bases in the nfl? you were once a pats fan and have been proven to be a phony bills fan. you flip flop faster then john kerry and most likely will be a fan of a different team in 2 years. how can somebody be a fan of one team and then switch. your loyalty to your alliances are p_i_s_s poor. why anybody would go to being a bills fan after being a pats fan the year AFTER the pats win the superbowl is ******ed at best. you are a phony and everybody should know how WEAK your loyalty REALLY IS

Yeah your right. I just got done spending $2000 dollars so I could go to a few Bills games this season from Texas.

Im moving to Buffalo in a year because I want to be closer to the Bills.

I spend hours on in creating Buffalo Bills related graphic designs.

But since you know me so well you know Im just a bandwaggon Bills fan right?

[pleasesavedrew]

Sweet

[mysticsoto]

I have friends in Miami that tell me that if just a few drops of rain fall, the stadium empties out. For us to sit out there in the freezing cold for hours for our team says a hell of alot about how much we support the team. The 12th man isn't on the Wall of Fame for nothing!!!

[Dozerdog]

I've always been wondering. How exactly do they figure out the ratings? I'm not saying I don't believe these numbers, but are they based on a survey or can they really tell which TV has what channel on?

Nationally, Nielsen has 7,000 homes (out of 105 million) hooked up electronically that tell us what channel each set is tuned to, what is on that channel, and whom in the household is watching.

On top of that, the top 55 or so television Markets are also "wired" for Nielsen, with somewhere between 300 and 800 homes in each market hooked up. It is a cheaper system than the one used for the National ratings, as 45 of the 55 markets don't have a device that tells us who is watching, just what channel is on.


Homes are selected at random.

In markets outside of the top 55 (like Rochester, Syracuse) a diary system is used. 100,000 are sent out each year during "sweeps weeks". P{eople write down what they watched and that info is used to set ad rates for the smaller cities.

[Dozerdog]

Beleive it or not, the city with the worst NFL Ratings traditionally has been New York.


The Giants and Jets usually don't get more than 25-40% of the TV audience some days.

[Dozerdog]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NFL-175 1/6/05

NFL 2004 TV RECAP

NFL GAMES ACCOUNT FOR 4 OF TOP 11 NETWORK PROGRAMS;
5 OF TOP 6 AMONG MEN 18-34 & MEN 18-49;
8 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 15.4 million viewers – 57 percent higher than the average primetime viewership among the four major over-the-air networks (9.8 million average on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC).
• NFL games account for four of the top 11 programs on network television this season (see chart below). In addition, NFL games account for the five of the top six shows among men 18-34 and five of the top six programs among men 18-49 (see charts below).
• ESPN NFL games accounted for eight of the 10 most-watched basic cable programs in 2004 (see chart below).
• NFL games were the top-ranked program locally a record 68 percent of the time. 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 347 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 pregame shows fared well in viewing households this season. FOX NFL Sunday viewership was up five percent to 5.2 million viewers. ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown (Sunday morning) was up two percent to 2.43 million viewers and CBS’ The NFL Today was even at 3.5 million viewers.

Broadcast Notes:

Regional -- First window of a doubleheader

National -- Second window of a doubleheader

Single -- Only window on network not airing doubleheader that week.

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

Network
Program	Viewers
1. CSI	26.4 million
2. Desperate Housewives	22.6 million
3. FOX National Game	19.81 million
4. CSI: Miami	19.75 million
5. Survivor: Vanuatu	19.6 million
6. CBS National Game	19.4 million
7. Without A Trace	18.9 million
8. Everybody Loves Raymond	17.0 million
9. ABC Monday Night Football	16.4 million
10. Two and a Half Men	16.2 million
11. FOX Single Game	16.0 million

Following are this season’s top 15 programs on network television in key demographics (avg. rating):

Men 18-34			Men 18-49
Program	Rating		Program	Rating
1. FOX National Game	8.9		1. FOX National Game	10.9
2. CBS National Game	8.3		2. CBS National Game	10.2
3. ABC Monday Night Football	7.8		3. ABC Monday Night Football	9.1
4. FOX Single Game	7.4		4. FOX Single Game	8.7
5. The Simpsons	6.7		5. CSI	7.8
6. CBS Single Game	6.6		6. CBS Single Game	7.7
6. Desperate Housewives	6.6		7. Desperate Housewives	7.4
8. Apprentice 2	6.0		8. FOX NFL Postgame	6.2
9. CSI	5.4		8. Survivor: Vanuatu	6.2
10. Fox NFL Postgame	5.3		10. ABC NFL Monday Showcase	6.1
11. ABC NFL Monday Showcase	5.2		11. Apprentice 2	6.0
12. ABC NFL Monday Postgame	5.1		12. FOX Regional Game	5.9
13. CBS Regional Game	4.9		13. The Simpsons	5.8
13. FOX Regional Game	4.9		14. CBS Regional Game	5.7
15. E.R.	4.5		15. CSI: Miami	5.5

Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 9/9/04-1/2/05

Following are the most watched programs on basic cable in 2004:

Program, Date	Households
1. ESPN NFL Football (Ravens-Colts), 12/19	8.4 million
2. ESPN NFL Football (Steelers-Jaguars), 12/5	8.1 million
3. ESPN NFL Football (Chiefs-Broncos), 9/12	7.5 million
4. ESPN NFL Football (Packers-Texans), 11/21	7.4 million
5. ESPN NFL Football (Eagles-Redskins), 12/12	7.3 million
6. ESPN NFL Football (Raiders-Broncos), 11/28	7.2 million
7. ESPN NFL Football (Bucs-Raiders), 9/26	7.0 million
8. MTV Video Music Awards, 8/29	6.85 million
9. ESPN NFL Football (Dolphins-Bengals), 9/19	6.83 million
10. TNT NBA Playoff Game, 5/31	6.5 million

Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 1/1/04-12/31/04

[Dozerdog]

NFL TOPS RATINGS IN SEASON-HIGH 28 LOCAL NFL MARKETS

With the playoffs approaching and the excitement building, local NFL markets have shown they are more than ready.

NFL games played between Dec. 20-26 were the top-rated program in 28 NFL markets, the most local-market No. 1 ratings since Week 17 of 2003 (30 markets).

For the season, NFL games have been the top-rated program in local markets 67 percent of the time (in 319 of 478 local ratings weeks).

Following are the NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Dec. 20-26:

Week of 12/20-12/26			HH	HH	RTG
Market	Game	Date	RTG	SHR	Rank
Pittsburgh	Ravens @ Steelers	12/26/04	47.6	78	1
Milwaukee	Packers @ Vikings	12/24/04	38.2	66	1
Buffalo	Bills @ 49ers	12/26/04	37.0	63	1
Indianapolis	Chargers @ Colts	12/26/04	34.3	63	1
Minneapolis	Packers @ Vikings	12/24/04	33.3	72	1
Kansas City	Raiders @ Chiefs	12/25/04	30.6	63	1
Boston	Patriots @ Jets	12/26/04	30.3	54	1
San Diego	Chargers @ Colts	12/26/04	30.0	61	1
Tampa	Panthers @ Bucs	12/26/04	30.0	49	1
Dallas	Redskins @ Cowboys	12/26/04	27.1	50	1
Washington, D.C.	Redskins @ Cowboys	12/26/04	26.2	51	1
Baltimore	Ravens @ Steelers	12/26/04	25.5	53	1
Cleveland*	Browns @ Dolphins	12/26/04	25.0	38	1
Denver*	Broncos @ Titans	12/25/04	24.4	52	1
Detroit	Bears @ Lions	12/26/04	23.7	47	1
Cincinnati	Giants @ Bengals	12/26/04	22.9	47	1
Seattle	Cardinals @ Seahawks	12/26/04	21.4	49	1
Nashville*	Broncos @ Titans	12/25/04	21.0	38	1
Atlanta	Falcons @ Saints	12/26/04	20.9	41	1
Charlotte	Panthers @ Bucs	12/26/04	20.3	37	1
Jacksonville	Chargers @ Colts	12/26/04	19.5	38	1
Chicago	Bears @ Lions	12/26/04	18.8	42	1
Philadelphia	NFL Bonus Coverage (Chargers @ Colts)	12/26/04	17.6	32	1
Houston	Texans @ Jaguars / Bonus Coverage	12/26/04	15.9	32	1
New York	Patriots @ Jets	12/26/04	15.5	29	1
Phoenix	Cardinals @ Seahawks	12/26/04	15.4	33	1
Miami	Patriots @ Dolphins	12/20/04	15.4	24	1
San Fran/Oakland	Patriots @ Dolphins	12/20/04	14.3	25	1

* Local affiliate & ESPN combined

Source: NFL & Nielsen Media Research