Thursday night's Titans-Steelers game on NBC Sports was the highest rated NFL Kickoff in seven years, had the best overnight sports rating since Super Bowl XLIII, the best overnight primetime rating since the American Idol finale and dominated the other networks according to data released today by Nielsen Media Research.

The game won by the Steelers 13-10 in overtime, scored a 13.8 overnight rating/23 share (8:45-11:45 p.m. ET), the highest rating for the Thursday NFL Kickoff since the inaugural game on network television (14.5/23 on ABC in 2003).

BEST SINCE SUPER BOWL: Last night's game had the best overnight rating for any sporting event since Super Bowl XLIII, which was the most watched broadcast in U.S. television history. The Titans-Steelers game also generated the highest overnight rating for any primetime show on any broadcast network since the American Idol finale (15.3/25 on 5/20/09).

DOMINATED PRIMETIME: NBC dominated primetime (8-11 p.m.) with a 12.2/20 average in the metered markets, establishing a 144 percent margin of victory over CBS's second-place 5.0/8 and more than quadrupling each of the other broadcast networks -- CW, 2.7/4; ABC, 2.6/4; Fox, 2.6/4.

UP 37% OVER LAST YEAR: Last night's game was up 37 percent from the 2008 NFL Kickoff (Giants-Redskins, 10.1/17), which started early to allow coverage of the Republican National Convention, up six percent from the 2007 NFL Kickoff (Colts-Saints, 13.0/21) and up two percent from the 2006 NFL Kickoff (Dolphins-Steelers, 13.5/22).

The rating peaked during the overtime period at a 15.0/29 from 11:30-11:45 p.m. ET.

Select Read More to see Top Rated Sports Programs Since Super Bowl XLIII, Thursday Night Season Openers Overnight Ratings, and the Top 10 Metered Markets for Thursday Night's Game

TOP RATED SPORTS PROGRAMS SINCE SUPER BOWL XLIII
*Based on overnight ratings
1. NFL Kickoff (Titans-Steelers) 13.8/23 NBC
2. NCAA Championship (Mich. St-UNC) 11.9/19 CBS
3. NBA Finals, Gm. 4 (Lakers-Magic) 10.9/19 ABC
4. MLB All-Star Game 10.4/18 Fox
5. Kentucky Derby 10.2/22 NBC
6. NBA Finals, Gm. 3 10.1/17 ABC
7. NBA Finals, Gm. 2 9.9/17 ABC
8. NBA Finals, Gm. 5 9.4/16 ABC
9. NCAA Semifinal (Villanova-UNC) 9.3/17 CBS
10. NBA Finals, Gm. 1 8.9/15 ABC

NFL KICKOFF – THURSDAY NIGHT SEASON OPENERS OVERNIGHT RATINGS:
2009: NBC 13.8/23 (Pittsburgh 13 – Tennessee 10)
2008: NBC 10.1/17 (NY Giants 16 – Washington 7)
2007: NBC 13.0/21 (Indianapolis 41 – New Orleans 10)
2006: NBC 13.5/22 (Pittsburgh 28 - Miami 17)
2005: ABC 13.1/22 (New England 30 – Oakland 20)
2004: ABC 12.6/20 (New England 27 – Indianapolis 24)
2003: ABC 14.5/23 (Washington 16 – NY Jets 13)
*2002 ESPN 7.6/13 (Houston 19 – Dallas 10)
*U.S. HH Rating: overnight rating not available

TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR LAST NIGHT'S GAME
1. Pittsburgh, 49.6/70
2. Nashville, 40.1/56
3. Baltimore, 20.5/33
4. Las Vegas, 20.0/32
5. New Orleans, 18.8/27
6. Cleveland, 18.7/30
7. Memphis, 18.2/25
8. Knoxville, 18.0/27
9. Washington D.C., 17.3/29
10. Norfolk, 16.9/27

Source: NBC Sports

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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).

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