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Pictured, from left, are Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Al Michaels. (NBC photo)
Pictured, from left, are Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Al Michaels. (NBC photo)

NBC's 'Sunday Night Football' honored by Pro Football Hall of Fame for record 6 consecutive seasons as primetime TV's No. 1 show

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Fri, Aug 4th 2017 06:10 pm
NBC's "Sunday Night Football" was honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame for its record six consecutive TV seasons as primetime television's top-rated show.
The "SNF" on-air team of Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya joined executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff at the debut of a new NBC "Sunday Night Football" display in the interactive exhibit gallery at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"The Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrates excellence everywhere," said Hall of Fame President David Baker. "We are excited to recognize NBC 'Sunday Night Football' for its tremendous presentation of our great game to more than 20 million Americans each week, and its record run as the No. 1 show in all of primetime television."
In April 2005, NBC acquired "Sunday Night Football" in a six-year agreement, announced by Dick Ebersol, chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics and NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. In December 2011, NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke, NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced a nine-year extension of NBC's "Sunday Night Football" package, beginning in 2014 and running through the 2022 NFL season.
The centerpiece of the Hall of Fame display reads as follows:
"In September 2006, NBC "Sunday Night Football" made its debut as the NFL's premier primetime package, with Al Michaels and John Madden in the broadcast booth and Andrea Kremer on the sideline. Over the years, the oft-honored, critically acclaimed "SNF" series has been the home of many of the NFL's most memorable moments while becoming a TV ratings hit. Since the show began, it has been produced by Fred Gaudelli and directed by Drew Esocoff.
Five years after the series launch, NBC "Sunday Night Football" - featuring Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth in the booth and Michele Tafoya on the sideline - averaged more than 21 million viewers to become the first-ever sports series to rank as primetime TV's No. 1 show for a full TV season (2011-12). "Sunday Night Football" has been TV's top primetime show every season since - a streak no other program can top."
Among the items displayed in the NBC "Sunday Night Football" exhibit:
•Michaels' spotting board (created by "Malibu" Kelly Hayes) for Super Bowl XLIX on NBC - New England's 4-point victory over Seattle, which is the most-watched program in U.S. TV history (114.4 million viewers).
•Carrie Underwood's dress, shoes, and jewelry from the 2017 "SNF" show open.
•The Sports Emmy for Outstanding Live Sports Series won by "SNF" for the 2015 NFL season.
•The "SNF" bus "Player of the Game" football from Oct. 19, 2014 - when Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning broke Brett Favre's record for career touchdown passes.
•A highlight reel chronicling memorable moments in the history of "SNF."
"SNF" finished the 2016-17 TV season as primetime's No. 1 TV show in all key metrics for a record sixth consecutive year - tying "American Idol" for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on live-plus-same-day data provided by The Nielsen Company. "SNF" also ranked as the No. 1 show in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic for the seventh consecutive TV season. It's six-year run at the top marks the only six times on record that a sports series has been the highest-rated and most-watched show of the primetime TV season.
Most Consecutive Years, No. 1 Ranked Show in Primetime, Since 1950
  • 6 years in a row - "Sunday Night Football" (2011-12 through 2016-17)
  • 6 years in a row - "American Idol" (2005-06 through 2010-11)
  • 5 years in a row - "The Cosby Show" (1985-86 through 1989-90)...tied Cheers in '89-90
  • 5 years in a row - "All in the Family" (1971-72 through 1975-76)
  • 4 years in a row - "Gunsmoke" (1957-58 through 1960-61)

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