Update Jan 12, 2021: Per CBS Sports PR Bears/Saints averaged 2.061 million viewers on Nickelodeon, the network’s most-watched program in total viewers in four years. The game averaged 28.6 million on CBS.
Maybe there was a best-case scenario after all? It’s interesting but I can’t really make anything out of it yet other than that I consider that a very good result ratings-wise. I figure CBS/Nick would’ve done it again regardless how the ratings went, but I didn’t figure they’d get a solid PR-boast out of it. Most-watched Nickelodeon telecast in four years is pretty solid!
Original post:
This post will automatically feed through to Twitter but I’m extending my Twitter sabbatical indefinitely and won’t be looking at Twitter mentions.
Normally I would’ve added “feel free to e-mail” to the above note but some of you e-mailed me TWEETS. Tweets about the new and shiny Nickelodeon NFL Bears/Saints broadcast proclaiming the second coming of television!
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the telecast on its own merits or proclaiming your enjoyment. But I’d hold off on the proclaiming anything about what it means for the TV business, the NFL or NFL telecasts. At least until tomorrow when the ratings come out.
I doubt there’s much of a best-case scenario here but the good news is that the worst case isn’t bad.
I think the worst case is it works much like ESPN’s megacasts of the CFP championship. On its own merits I proclaim my love of the “Coaches Room” edition of the ESPN CFP Megacast. I enjoy it and I’m glad it exists!
Last year’s The “Coaches Room” telecast of Clemson/LSU averaged 74,000 viewers on ESPNU. Whatever megacast aired on ESPN2 in 2020 averaged 381,000 viewers. Meanwhile Clemson/LSU averaged 25 million viewers on the ESPN mothership.
Who cares if it’s not meaningful to the business!? If the worst case for the Nickelodeon broadcast is that it was fun, good PR and made CBS’s league partners happy without much, if any, opportunity cost (in the case of the alternate CFP telecasts, I’d argue there’s virtually no opportunity cost), why not!?
Feel free to e-mail but please don’t e-mail me tweets…
I was wondering where you went. What is the best way to read what you write now?
Thanks,
Keith Hirshland
Hey Keith, I have that disease where I write much more than I publish. I’ll add you to the e-mail list that sends out notifications of new posts, but this is only the second post I’ve done since bailing on Twitter right before NFL season.
I’ll read anything you write! By the way my publisher just told me they started production of the audiobook for my latest, Murphy Murphy and the Case of Serious Crisis. I think it will tickle your funny bone. Keep you posted
you’re too kind, Keith. That’s awesome about the audiobook for Murphy Murphy, can’t wait! I’ll break down and read “Cover Me Boys” the old-fashioned way one of these days…
https://www.amazon.com/Murphy-Case-Serious-Crisis/dp/B08VY8TV61/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=murphy+serious+crisis&qid=1612653447&s=audible&sprefix=murphy+ser&sr=1-1
Wanted to let you know my latest, Murphy Murphy and the Case of Serious Crisis, is now an audiobook! Here’s the link…
https://www.amazon.com/Murphy-Case-Serious-Crisis/dp/B08VY8TV61/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=murphy+serious+crisis&qid=1612653447&s=audible&sprefix=murphy+ser&sr=1-1
Excellent! Thanks for the heads up. Already purchased from Audible. I have several audiobooks from the library in the queue so it might take me a week or two, but I’ll let you know. Thanks again.
Good to see you back.
thanks!