With Game 7 of the National League Championship Series on FOX and a presidential debate on a host of other networks, “Monday Night Football” stumbled to a season-low on ESPN.
The Week 7 edition of “Monday Night Football,” pitting the Lions against the Bears, earned a 7.3 overnight rating on ESPN — up 4% from Ravens/Jaguars opposite the World Series last year (7.0), but down 41% from Giants/Cowboys in 2010 (12.3).
The 7.3 is easily the lowest “MNF” overnight of the season. The previous low was a 7.9 for Chargers/Raiders in the Week 1 late window.
Overall, the telecast earned the second-lowest overnight of the season for an NFL telecast that did not air on NFL Network. The lowest overnight was a 7.2 for Sunday’s early doubleheader game on CBS.
Considering the hefty competition from the presidential debate and Game 7 of the National League Championship Seris, Monday’s telecast actually fared quite well. Lions/Bears actually outdrew Cardinals/Giants Game 7 head-to-head (7.3 to 5.9).
Locally, Lions/Bears drew a 29.1 rating in Chicago (16.8 on ESPN, 12.3 on local affiliate) and a 22.4 in Detroit (7.3 on ESPN, 15.1 on local affiliate).
(Monday’s numbers from ESPN)
