ABC's Season Premiere Sunday Is Up with "Once Upon a Time" Opening at Nearly 2 Year-Highs

Sunday Night (9/28/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Once Upon a Time: Live + 3 = 12.4 million/4.5 rating and Live + 7 = 13.5 million/4.9 rating

Resurrection: Live + 3 = 9.8 million/2.9 rating and Live + 7 = 10.4 million/3.1 rating

Revenge: Live + 3 = 7.5 million/1.9 rating and Live + 7 = 7.7 million/2.0 rating

Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Sunday Prime (7-11pm - 6.8 million and 2.1/6 in AD18-49): Opposite NBC's Sunday Night Football and an NFL overrun-boosted Fox, ABC beat its non-sports competition on CBS Sunday night by 62% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 vs. 1.3/4). ABC's season premieres of Once Upon a Time (3.4/10) and Resurrection (2.2/6) opened as Sunday's top-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49, leading by strong margins over CBS' dramas, Madam Secretary (1.4/4), The Good Wife (1.3/4) and CSI (1.4/4). The Net was up over season premiere Sunday last year by 5% in Adults 18-49.

Once Upon a Time: Storybrooke Has Frozen Over (7-8pm - 5.1 million and 1.5/5 in AD18-49): During the 7 o'clock hour opposite Fox's big NFL overrun, ABC's Once Upon a Time lead-in special was up over the year-ago special and beat out its non-sports competition in the hour by 36% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5 vs. 1.1/4 - CBS' 60 Minutes).

Once Upon a Time (8-9pm - 9.3 million and 3.4/10 in AD18-49): Building sharply on its lead-in at 8pm, ABC's 4th season opener of Once Upon a Time dominated its CBS drama competition in the hour with Adults 18-49, more than doubling Madam Secretary (+143% - 3.4/10 vs. 1.4/4). Topping its 2-hour May finale (6.8 million and 2.3/7 on 5/11/14) in viewers (+37%) and young adults (+48%), Once Upon a Time earned its highest numbers in nearly 2 years - since 11/4/12. In addition, the show hit new series highs with Teens and Kids. The ABC drama also outperformed its year-ago season opener in Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+31%). The ABC drama was the #1 most social non-sports broadcast of the evening with 224,951 tweets, up 65% from last year's opener to rank as the show's highest number ever.

Resurrection (9-10pm - 7.6 million and 2.2/6 in AD18-49): At 9pm, ABC's Resurrection defeated CBS' competing The Good Wife by 69% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 1.3/4). Resurrection was up from where it finished out its first season, outpacing its May finale by 5% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 on 5/4/14) to earn its best rating since the beginning of April - since 4/6/14. In addition, the show was up 38% over its finale in Adults 18-34 to its highest rating since the mid-March - since 3/16/14.

Revenge (10-11pm - 5.3 million and 1.4/4 in AD18-49): During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's Revenge tied CBS' season premiere of CSI in Adults 18-49 (1.4/4). Revenge was up in Total Viewers (+8%) and held even with its May finale in Adults 18-49 (4.9 million and 1.4/4 on 5/11/14) to equal its best young adult number since March - since 3/23/14.

Quick Take for Sunday, September 28, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's Season Premiere Sunday Grows Year to Year in Adults 18-49

"Once Upon a Time" Opens at Near 2-Year Highs in Viewers and Adults 18-49, While Achieving New Series Highs with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11

"Resurrection" Tops its May Finale to Equal its Best Rating Since Early April

"Revenge" Premiere Ties CBS' "CSI" Opener and Holds Steady with its May Finale

Sunday Night (9/28/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Once Upon a Time:" Live + 3 = 12.4 million/4.5 rating and Live + 7 = 13.5 million/4.9 rating

"Resurrection:" Live + 3 = 9.8 million/2.9 rating and Live + 7 = 10.4 million/3.1 rating

"Revenge:" Live + 3 = 7.5 million/1.9 rating and Live + 7 = 7.7 million/2.0 rating

Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Sunday Prime (7:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.8 million and 2.1/6 in AD18-49):

Opposite NBC's Sunday Night Football and an NFL overrun-boosted Fox, ABC beat its non-sports competition on CBS Sunday night by 62% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 vs. 1.3/4). ABC's season premieres of "Once Upon a Time" (3.4/10) and "Resurrection" (2.2/6) opened as Sunday's top-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49, leading by strong margins over CBS' dramas, "Madam Secretary" (1.4/4), "The Good Wife" (1.3/4) and "CSI" (1.4/4).

· The Net was up over season premiere Sunday last year by 5% in Adults 18-49 (2.0/5 on 9/29/13).

"OUAT: Storybrooke Has Frozen Over" (7:00-8:00 p.m. - 5.1 million and 1.5/5 in AD18-49):

During the 7 o'clock hour opposite Fox's big NFL overrun, ABC's "Once Upon a Time: Storybrooke Has Frozen Over" lead-in special was up over the year-ago special (1.4/4 on 9/29/13) and beat out its non-sports competition in the hour by 36% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5 vs. 1.1/4 - CBS' "60 Minutes").

"Once Upon a Time" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 9.3 million and 3.4/10 in AD18-49):

Building sharply on its lead-in at 8:00 p.m., ABC's 4th season opener of "Once Upon a Time" took second to the NFL game in the hour and dominated its CBS drama competition with Adults 18-49, more than doubling "Madam Secretary" (+143% - 3.4/10 vs. 1.4/4). In addition, the ABC drama won the hour over football with Women 18-34.

· Topping its 2-hour May finale (6.8 million and 2.3/7 on 5/11/14) in viewers (+37%) and young adults (+48%), "Once Upon a Time" earned its highest numbers in nearly 2 years - since 11/4/12. In addition, the show hit new series highs with Teens and Kids. The ABC drama also outperformed its year-ago season opener in Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+31%).

· "Once Upon a Time" was the No. 1 most social non-sports broadcast of the evening with 224,951 tweets, spiking 65% from last year's opener to rank as the show's highest number ever.

"Resurrection" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 7.6 million and 2.2/6 in AD18-49):

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Resurrection" premiere defeated CBS' competing "The Good Wife" by 69% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 1.3/4).

· "Resurrection" was up from where it finished out its first season, outpacing its May finale by 5% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 on 5/4/14) to its best rating since the beginning of April - since 4/6/14. In addition, the show jumped 38% over its finale in Adults 18-34 to its highest rating since mid-March - since 3/16/14.

"Revenge" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.3 million and 1.4/4 in AD18-49):

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "Revenge" tied CBS' season premiere of "CSI" in Adults 18-49 (1.4/4), while leading by 25% in Adults 18-34 (1.0/3 vs. 0.8/3).

· "Revenge" was up from its May finale in Total Viewers (+8%) and held even in Adults 18-49 (4.9 million and 1.4/4 on 5/11/14) to equal its best young adult number since March - since 3/23/14.

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 49% currently, from 48% at the same point in 2013. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2013-14 season for premiere telecast or an average for originals (excluding the premiere).

Returning shows: Profile based on same show (either premiere or averages for originals).

New Series: Based on similar series.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 09/28/14.