NEARLY 27 MILLION WATCH "NFL KICKOFF" ON NBC; 3RD MOST-WATCHED "NFL KICKOFF" GAME IN 13-YEAR HISTORY

Packers-Seahawks Viewership Up 7% From '13 Opener

Game's 15.5 HH Rating Up 4% From Last Year

More Than 25 Million Live Stream Minutes Consumed -- NBC Sports Live Extra Record for non-Olympic, non-Super Bowl Event

STAMFORD, Conn. - September 5, 2014 - The Seattle Seahawks' 20-point victory over the Green Bay Packers in last night's "NFL Kickoff" on NBC was watched by 26.9 million viewers -- up 7% from last year's opening-game and ranking as the third-most watched "NFL Kickoff" game in the 13-year history of the event, according to fast national data released today by The Nielsen Company.

The Super Bowl Champion Seahawks' 36-16 victory, led by QB Russell Wilson (two touchdown passes) and RB Marshawn Lynch (110 rushing yards and two touchdowns), aired from 8:42 PM-11:30 PM ET and is television's most-watched show since the 2014 Academy Awards (43.7 million viewers on March 2).

Last night's 26.9 million average viewership was up 7% over last year's "NFL Kickoff" game (25.1 million for Ravens-Broncos), and ranks as the third-most watched "NFL Kickoff" game, trailing only the 2011 Saints-Packers thriller between the two previous Super Bowl winners (27.1 million), and the 2010 opener (Vikings-Saints, 27.5 million) featuring an NFC Championship Game rematch, as Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings visited the then-defending Super Bowl-champion New Orleans Saints.

Last night's game had a national household rating of 15.5/26, making it the third-highest rated NFL Kickoff game behind 2010 (16.5/28) and 2011 (16.0/26), and up 4% from last year's opener (14.9/26). The highest-rated half hour was 9:30-10:00 PM ET with a 17.1/28.

DIGITAL: NBC Sports Live Extra's live stream of last night's NFL Kickoff generated record-setting digital numbers. Fans consumed more than 25 million minutes, setting a new NBC Sports Live Extra record and making it the highest-trafficked non-Olympic, non-Super Bowl live stream in NBC Sports Digital history.

The 25 million minutes live streamed tops last year's "NFL Kickoff" game by 21% (20.5 million minutes). It also shattered by nearly 4 million minutes the previous record for an NFL game on NBC, set in last year's thrilling Week 12 "Manning-Brady XIV" Denver-New England SNF game, highlighted by Tom Brady leading the Patriots back from a 24-0 halftime deficit to top Peyton Manning and the Broncos 34-31 in overtime (21.3 million minutes).

NBC Sports Live Extra also posted a record-setting 507,662 unique viewers for Packers-Seahawks - topping last year's "NFL Kickoff" game by 51%.

NFL KICKOFF VIEWERSHIP:
(All Games on Thursday Night Except for 2012)
2014 NBC 26.9 million (Seattle 36 - Green Bay 16)
2013 NBC 25.1 million (Denver 49 - Baltimore 27)
2012 NBC 23.9 million (Dallas 24 - NY Giants 17)**
2011 NBC 27.1 million (Green Bay 42 - New Orleans 34)
2010 NBC 27.5 million (New Orleans 14 - Minnesota 9)
2009 NBC 20.9 million (Pittsburgh 13 - Tennessee 10)
2008 NBC 13.5 million (NY Giants 16 - Washington 7)*
2007 NBC 17.8 million (Indianapolis 41 - New Orleans 10)
2006 NBC 19.2 million (Pittsburgh 28 - Miami 17)
2005 ABC 18.0 million (New England 30 - Oakland 20)
2004 ABC 16.9 million (New England 27 - Indianapolis 24)
2003 ABC 19.1 million (Washington 16 - NY Jets 13)
2002 ESPN 10.8 million (San Francisco 16 - NY Giants 13)

** Wednesday Night Game (First Wednesday NFL game since 1948)

* Early start due to Republican National Convention

TOP METERED MARKETS FOR PACKERS-SEAHAWKS:
1. Milwaukee 44.0/64
2. Seattle 42.2/73
3. Minneapolis 26.6/44
4. New Orleans 25.2/38
5. Sacramento 21.2/35
6. San Diego 20.8/37
7. Denver 20.7/34
8. Norfolk 20.7/32
9. Nashville 20.6/31
10. Portland 20.4/38

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