Though up big from last year’s Saturday finale, the season’s final edition of “Monday Night Football” was a mediocre draw on ESPN.
The Week 16 Falcons/49ers “Monday Night Football” game drew an 8.0 U.S. rating and 13.2 million viewers on ESPN December 23, up 33% in ratings and 36% in viewership from Falcons/Lions on a Saturday last year (6.0, 9.7M), but down 13% and 15%, respectively, from Saints/Falcons in 2011 (9.2, 15.6M).
Falcons/49ers ranked as the sixth-lowest rated and seventh-least viewed “MNF” telecast of the season (17 telecasts).
With that said, the telecast was also the third straight on ESPN to have a double-digit increase in ratings and viewership. Overall, five of the last six “MNF” telecasts on ESPN had a double-digit increase.
Among adults 18-49, Falcons/49ers drew a 4.5 rating — up 32% from last year (3.4), but down 20% from 2011 (5.6).
Locally, the ESPN telecast drew an 11.1 rating in the Bay Area and a 9.1 in Atlanta. The game was simulcast on local affiliates in both markets, earning a 17.8 on Bay Area CBS affiliate KPIX and a 10.1 on Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB.
(Week 16 finals from ESPN; additional info from TV By the Numbers)
