Notre Dame on NBC Registered Total Audience Delivery Average of 4.8 Million Viewers for Five Games on NBC in 2020, Up 121% vs. 2019
Thrilling Fighting Irish Win vs. #1 Clemson is Most-Watched College Football Game of 2020 Season and Second-Most Watched Notre Dame on NBC Game on Record
STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 9, 2020 – NBC Sports’ presentation of the 2020 Notre Dame Football season, its 30th season of Notre Dame Football coverage, posted the network’s most-watched season in 15 years, according to data provided by Nielsen and Adobe Analytics.
For five games on NBC, the 2020 Notre Dame on NBC season averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 4.802 million viewers, marking the most-watched season on NBC since 2005 (5.168 million P2+) and up 121% vs. 2019.
Notre Dame (10-0) defeated Syracuse, 45-21, on NBC last week to clinch their third undefeated regular season in the Brian Kelly era. The Fighting Irish will face Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.
Viewership highlights of the 2020 Notre Dame on NBC season:
Clemson-Notre Dame (Saturday, Nov. 7)
- The Fighting Irish’s 47-40 double-overtime victory over the nation’s top-ranked team delivered a TAD of 10.217 million viewers on NBC, making it the:
- Most-watched college football game of the 2020 season;
- Second-most watched Notre Dame on NBC game on record, behind only the “Game of the Century” between No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 1 Florida State in 1993 (22.02 million viewers);
- Most-watched ND on NBC primetime game on record
- The Fighting Irish’s 47-40 double-overtime victory over the nation’s top-ranked team delivered a TAD of 10.217 million viewers on NBC, making it the:
Duke-Notre Dame Season Opener (Saturday, Sept. 12)
- Notre Dame’s season opener vs. Duke on NBC delivered 4.384 million viewers, making it the most-watched Notre Dame on NBC afternoon home opener in 14 years (vs. Penn State on 9/9/06, 6.902 million TV viewers)
Following are the Top 10 markets from the 2020 season on NBC:
| Rank | Metered Market | Rating |
| 1. | Greenville-Spartanburg | 7.9 |
| 2. | Birmingham | 7.3 |
| 3. | Indianapolis | 6.5 |
| T4. | New Orleans | 5.3 |
| T4. | Cincinnati | 5.3 |
| 6. | Louisville | 5.2 |
| 7. | Ft. Myers-Naples | 4.8 |
| 8. | Columbus | 4.7 |
| 9. | Chicago | 4.6 |
| 10 | Dayton | 4.5 |
In addition to the five games on NBC, NBC Sports presented Notre Dame-South Florida on USA Network on Sept. 19. Including that game, NBC Sports’ 2020 Notre Dame Football season drew a TAD of 4.193 million viewers over six games, ranking as its most-watched season since the Fighting Irish’s undefeated season in 2012 (4.367 million TAD) and up 93% from last season (7 games; 2.177 million TAD).
In 2020, NBC Sports Group completed its 30th season as the exclusive home of Notre Dame Football home games. NBC Sports Group and the University of Notre Dame began their landmark Notre Dame Football relationship in 1991 and have renewed the partnership numerous times. The current agreement runs through the 2025 season.
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