ESPN reaps ratings for 2 NFL games

0 Comments | USA TODAY, September, 2004 | by Michael Hiestand

In the latest sports spinoff from a Florida hurricane, some viewers could have watched two NFL games Sunday night -- and the same ads on two networks.

CBS planned to show the Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins game at 1 p.m. ET Sunday to 15% of the USA. But after Hurricane Jeanne, the kickoff was moved to 8:30, opposite ESPN's Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Oakland Raiders game.

Because ESPN has prime time exclusivity for Sunday NFL games, the Steelers-Dolphins game couldn't be shown nationally. So Viacom-owned CBS put it on the Viacom-owned UPN Network in the teams' home markets.

But those viewers won't be counted in CBS' ratings. Because of ESPN's exclusivity, the UPN stations aired ESPN's national ads and halftime show -- so UPN viewers will count in ESPN's...