More People Watched A Rerun Of NCIS Than Lakers-Knicks: Last Week's TV Ratings, In Context

A weekly feature wherein we contextualize TV ratings for national sports broadcasts. Data via Nielsen, Sports Business Journal's John Ourand and @TVSportsRTGS. Viewership numbers represent approximate number of persons tuned to a given program; ratings share refers to the percentage of all households using a television who are turned into that program.

Monday, Dec. 10: Monday Night Football: Houston Texans at New England Patriots (ESPN): 14.5 million viewers Two Broke Girls (CBS): 11.0 million viewers

Tuesday, Dec. 11: No highly rated sporting events.

Wednesday, Dec. 12: No highly rated sporting events.

Thursday, Dec 13: Thursday Night Football: Cincinnati Bengals at Philadelphia Eagles (NFL Network): 5.5 million viewers NBA basketball: Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks (TNT): 3.0 million viewers NCIS, rerun (USA): 3.2 million viewers The Big Bang Theory (CBS): 17.8 million viewers

Friday, Dec. 14: No highly rated sporting events.

Saturday, Dec. 15: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Toledo vs. Utah State (ESPN): 2.8 million viewers Gildan New Mexico Bowl: Nevada vs. Arizona (ESPN): 2.6 million viewers International women's soccer: U.S. vs. China (NBCSN): 178,000 viewers Home Alone, en espanol (Telemundo): 974,000 viewers

Sunday, Dec. 16: Sunday Night Football: San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots (NBC): 23.2 million viewers [Note: 1.4 million viewers switched to the simulcast on CNBC when President Obama's speech in Newtown preempted coverage on NBC. 1.2 million viewers watched on NCBSN.] 60 Minutes (CBS): 20.0 million viewers