The return of Monday Night Football gave ESPN the two largest cable television audiences of 2009.
Patriots/Bills, the first game of ESPN’s Monday Night Football doubleheader, drew an 8.9 U.S. rating (10.3 cable) and 14 million viewers on ESPN Monday night, up 13% in ratings and 12% in viewers from a 7.9 (9.3) and 12.5 million for Vikings/Packers in the comparable timeslot last year.
Meanwhile, the Chargers/Raiders nightcap drew a 7.6 U.S. rating (8.9 cable) and 11.9 million viewers, up 23% and 24%, respectively, from a 6.2 (7.3) and 9.7 million for Broncos/Raiders last year.
Patriots/Bills and Chargers/Raiders rank as the two highest rated, most-viewed sporting events of the year on cable. Additionally, the games rank as ESPN’s highest rated, most-viewed Monday Night Football telecasts ever in their respective telecast windows (7 PM ET and 10:15 PM ET).
Overall, ESPN averaged an 8.3 U.S. rating (9.6 cable) and 13 million viewers for its Monday Night Football doubleheader — the highest rated, most-viewed MNF doubleheader ever on ESPN.
Ratings/viewership for ESPN Monday Night Football doubleheaders since ’06
| Year | Date | Game | Net | Rating | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Mon., 9/14/09 | Bills/Patriots | ESPN |
8.9 (10.3)
|
|
| Chargers/Raiders | ESPN |
7.6 (8.9)
|
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| 2008 | Mon., 9/8/08 | Vikings/Packers | ESPN | ||
| Broncos/Raiders | ESPN | ||||
| 2007 | Mon., 9/10/07 | Bengals/Ravens | ESPN | ||
| 49ers/Cardinals | ESPN | ||||
| 2006 | Mon., 9/11/06 | Vikings/Washington | ESPN | ||
| Chargers/Raiders | ESPN |
