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The Eagles/Browns Game Got Huge Ratings
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It was not the greatest game of all time, but apparently a lot of people tuned in, according to SportsMediaWatch.com.
Last week’s 8 p.m. matchup on FOX pulled the best preseason numbers for the network in the last seven years:
Thursday’s Eagles-Browns NFL preseason game drew a 4.2 rating and 6.52 million viewers on FOX, marking the network’s highest rated and second-most watched preseason game since 2012 (49ers-Broncos: 4.5, 7.1M). A 2016 Cardinals-Texans game had slightly more viewers (6.68M).
Outside of the NFL Hall of Fame Game, the Browns 5-0 win was the most-watched weeknight preseason telecast on any network in four years, since Cleveland-Washington on ESPN four years ago (4.5, 6.90M).
The article goes on to explain that each Cleveland preseason game posted higher ratings than last season’s games. That’s likely due to the intrigue created by their appearance on HBO’s Hard Knocks and the fact that they’re rolling out the #1 pick in the draft, quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Combine that with the defending Super Bowl champions, and you’ve got a very nice number for a Thursday night in August.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com