ESPN concluded its third season of Monday Night Football on a high note.
The Bears’ overtime victory over the Packers on Monday drew an 8.4 U.S. rating (9.8 cable rating) and 13.8 million viewers on ESPN, up 65% and 57% from a 5.1 with 8.8 million for Broncos/Chargers on Christmas Eve last year.
Bears/Packers finishes as the third most watched Monday Night Football game of the season, behind Steelers/Washington in November and Eagles/Cowboys in September.
For the season, ESPN averaged a 7.6 U.S rating (8.9 cable rating) and 12 million viewers for Monday Night Football, up 4% and 7% from a 7.3 and 11.2 million last year. The 7.6 rating marks a 6% decline from an 8.1 in 2006.
With the shift from broadcast to cable, perhaps it is not surprising the the past three seasons of Monday Night Football have been easily the lowest rated seasons in the thirty-eight year history of the franchise.
Ratings/viewership for Monday Night Football games in 2008.
asterisk (*) indicates coverage area rating
7.9, 12.5 mil: Vikings/Packers (Mon., 9/8, 7 PM ESPN)
6.2, 9.7 mil: Broncos/Raiders (Mon., 9/8, 10:15 PM ESPN)
11.3, 18.6 mil: Eagles/Cowboys (Mon., 9/22, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.5, 11.8 mil: Ravens/Steelers (Mon., 9/29, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.1, 11.0 mil: Vikings/Saints (Mon., 10/6, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.2, 11.4 mil: Giants/Browns (Mon., 10/13, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.0, 10.8 mil: Broncos/Patriots (Mon., 10/20, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.3, 11.6 mil: Colts/Titans (Mon., 10/27, 8:30 PM ESPN)
8.7, 14.2 mil: Steelers/Washington (Mon., 11/3, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.6, 11.9 mil: 49ers/Cardinals (Mon., 11/10, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.5, 11.6 mil: Browns/Bills (Mon., 11/17, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.4, 11.4 mil: Packers/Saints (Mon., 11/24, 8:30 PM ESPN)
5.9, 8.9 mil: Jaguars/Texans (Mon., 12/1, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.4, 11.6 mil: Buccaneers/Panthers (Mon., 12/8, 8:30 PM ESPN)
7.5*, 9.9 mil: Browns/Eagles (Mon., 12/15, 8:30 PM ESPN)
8.4, 13.8 mil: Packers/Bears (Mon., 12/22, 8:30 PM ESPN)
