Getting your player ready...
Mention prime-time network series with huge audiences and ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and Fox’s “American Idol” always lead the pack.
Now add NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” the most-watched evening series from Sept. 20 through Jan. 2, averaging more than 21.8 million viewers (up 12 percent from 2009).
“Dancing with the Stars” finished second.
Can “American Idol” draw a larger average audience when it returns Jan. 19?
NBC sports chairman Dick Ebersol is, obviously, in an upbeat mood — much more mellow than in January 1998 following Denver’s Super Bowl win over Green Bay.
The pessimistic Ebersol didn’t renew NBC’s NFL contract (AFC games) citing financial reasons. CBS took over. NBC has aired “SNF” for four seasons.
