The sixth season of Monday Night Football on ESPN got off to a slower start in the ratings.
Monday’s Week 1 Patriots/Dolphins game earned a 9.1 U.S. rating and 14.568 million viewers on ESPN, down 3% in ratings and viewership from last year (BAL/NYJ: 9.4, 14.973M), and up 2% and 4%, respectively, compared to 2009 (BUF/NE: 8.9, 14.001M).
Though down from last year, the Patriots’ win ranks as the second-most viewed Week 1 game on ESPN since the network began airing Monday Night Football in 2006.
The game drew a combined 34.0 rating in Boston (24.0 local, 10.0 on ESPN) and a 21.8 in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale (7.0 local, 14.8 on ESPN).
In the second half of Monday’s doubleheader, Raiders/Broncos drew a 7.1 U.S. rating and 11.109 million viewers, down 7% in ratings and viewership from last year (SD/KC: 7.6, 11.889M), and down 7% in both measures compared to 2009 (SD/OAK: 7.6, 11.945M).
The Raiders’ win ranks as the lowest rated, least-viewed Week 1 game on ESPN since the same matchup in 2008 (DEN/OAK: 6.2, 9.665M).
In Denver, the game drew a combined 36.9 rating (21.1 local, 15.8 on ESPN). The Bay Area contributed an 18.0 rating (9.3 local, 8.7 on ESPN).
UPDATE 9/24: The Raiders/Broncos game drew a 7.1 U.S. rating, not the 7.0 previously reported here.
(Information from espnmediazone3.com; additional information from Sports Business Daily, HitFlix)
