TV viewership for Bears' opener down 13% from 2023 opener

Despite the hype surrounding the Bears’ new-look offense featuring prized rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the team’s season-opening victory Sunday against the Titans didn’t rate with local TV viewers as well as its opener last season.

The Bears’ 24-17 comeback victory Sunday drew a 20.2 average household rating in the Chicago market on Fox 32, according to Nielsen. That equates to about 737,000 homes. The broadcast peaked at 23.3 in the 2:45 p.m. quarter-hour (about 850,000 homes). One ratings point equals about 36,486 homes.

Last season, the Bears’ 38-20 loss to the Packers drew a 23.3 average household rating on Fox 32, meaning the game Sunday saw a 13% drop in local viewership.

The opponent and game time are likely reasons. The rival Packers are always a big draw and have a lot of fans in the area. That game also kicked off at 3:25 p.m., the NFL broadcast window with the highest viewership. The game against the Titans began at noon.