49ers/Ravens was most watched NFL Network program ever

[Upton]

NFL Network drew 10.7 million viewers for Thursday night’s 49ers-Ravens game, making it the most-watched program in the eight-year history of the league’s cable channel. The rating broke a record for NFL Network set in 2009, when 10.5 million viewers watched the Cowboys play the Saints.

It’s easy to see why the game drew big ratings: It featured two winning teams, it was close and competitive into the fourth quarter, and the Jim Harbaugh vs. John Harbaugh coaching battle made it an easy game to market to the folks who don’t automatically watch every NFL game and were considering — gasp! — turning off the TV and talking to their families on Thanksgiving night.

This year’s Thanksgiving night game drew about 50 percent more viewers than last year, when NFL Network got 7.1 million viewers for a Jets-Bengals game. Through three games this year NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football is averaging 7.5 million viewers a game, a 28 percent increase from the ratings in 2010.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/25/49ers-ravens-was-most-watched-nfl-network-program-ever/

Hmm..beating out even the Cowboys and Saints ratings record of 2009.. I suspect we'll see much more of the Harbaughs other than on Sundays in the years to come. And you never know, there may even be a Super Bowl matchup somewhere on the horizon..

[trumad]

1. It had nothing to do with the Harbaugh boys...

it had everything to do with an excellent football lineup for the day.

Imagine if the Pat's played the Packers instead?

[Auggie]

2. NFL Network must be expanding on more cable systems

I don't think it was necessarily because of the match-up.

We never got NFL Network on Comcast unless we paid big bucks for dozens of worthless channels. Comes bundled in the second U-verse tier for us. I love it. Mrs. Auggie ... not.

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. Also, the channel was offered free as a gift for UVerse subscribers

who didn't have it this weekend.

[El Supremo]

4. It is now on my Comcast/Xfinity Digital Classic.

I don't think it was a year or two ago. But I think I got the MLB Network before that. I don't have any HD or premium channels.

[bigwillq]

5. Great game.

We just got NFL Network back. We had it, cancelled the package it came with and then Comcast offered the package again for real cheap so we took it. I watched the whole game.