NFL TV viewership takes heavy hit again in 2017

A.J. Perez | USA TODAY

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Viewership for NFL broadcasts during the regular season dipped once again in 2017 --- and by a larger percentage than last year.

The average audience across the NFL's broadcast partners --- CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and NFL Network --- dropped 10%, according to data provided to USA TODAY Sports. While 33 of the top 50 TV programs since Week 1 in September were NFL games, this season's decline follows an 8% decline in 2016.

NFL broadcasts had an average minute audience of 14.9 million compared to 16.5 million in 2016.

CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN had a smaller audience than 2016.

ESPN, which included its streaming audience, had the lowest drop among the four networks at a 7.7% decline. Fox had a 9.1% drop, NBC dipped 10.4% and CBS fell 11.2% compared to 2016.

While the audience fell, NBC's Sunday Night Football still is on pace to be the most-watched prime time show for a record seventh year in a row. ESPN's Monday Night Football dominated the key male demographic (ages 18-49) for all 16 of its broadcasts.

Fox's “Americas Game of the Week," the network's main national game on Sundays, was again the top-most watched show this fall. CBS also easily outpaced competing programming.

Follow Perez on Twitter @byajperez