Bears + Packers = TV Ratings Win

Sunday's match-up between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers was like a perfect storm of television.  

One part long-standing rivalry.  One part Super Bowl contention.  Ratings gold.

The game drew more television viewers than the Bears’ 2007 Super Bowl appearance (when they lost to the Indianapolis Colts), but not as large a rating as the team’s 1986 Super Bowl telecast, according to the Nielsen overnight television ratings in the Chicago market.

FOX-owned WFLD 32 pulled a 50.6 rating and an 81 share Sunday, meaning that roughly 1,771,000 households in Chicago were tuned in to the game.

Nationally, the Bears-Packers game notched a 28.1 rating on the Fox network, and was watched by an average audience of 51.9 million viewers. Game ratings peaked at 4:30 p.m. with a 31.5 rating and 59.5 million viewers.

It was the highest-rated NFC championship game in the early time slot in 14 years. 

In Chicago, the 81 share means more than 4 out of every 5 televisions turned on in Chicago while the game was in progress were tuned the game. 

The telecast for Super Bow XLV, on Sunday, Feb. 6, is also likely to be a big, big win for FOX.