CBS Announces Massive Ratings For Cowboys-49ers Game
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 16: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at AT&T Stadium on January 16, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
CBS demonstrated the ratings potential of broadcasting the NFL on two different networks during Sunday's Cowboys-49ers playoff game. And the results speak for themselves.
On Wednesday, CBS Sports PR announced that their broadcast of the game on CBS and Nickelodeon was the most-watched Wild Card game of the last seven years. Their 41.496 million viewers across the two networks was a 35-percent increase from last year.
At its peak, 50.229 million concurrent viewers tuned in to watch the nail-biting finish to the game. The 49ers held on to win, 23-17, making them the only away team to win on Wild Card Weekend.
For CBS, the game was its most-watched Wild Card game in the last 10 years. It was also the second-most watched Wild Card game in network history.
On CBS' streaming service, Paramount+, the game was the most streamed non-Super Bowl broadcast of all-time.
The decision to broadcast the game on Nickelodeon was a controversial one, and not everyone was thrilled to be watching football on a kids' cable network.
But clearly the synergy between CBS, its partner networks and its streaming service are paying dividends.
It remains to be seen how or even if CBS and other networks will expand their NFL broadcasting in the future. One thing that we learned this weekend is that if they do, they won't be leaving NFL fans behind.
Will we see Nickelodeon start broadcasting regular season games in the near future too?
