A battle of sub.-500 teams gave ESPN another weak audience for Sunday Night Football.
The Week 15 Saints/Bears Monday Night Football game drew a 7.1 final rating and 11.1 million viewers on ESPN, down 21% in ratings and 22% in viewership from Ravens/Lions last year (9.0, 14.2M) but up 8% and 9%, respectively, from Jets/Titans in 2012 (6.6, 10.1M).
The Saints’ win tied ESPN’s lowest Monday Night Football rating of the season, matching Chargers/Cardinals in Week 1 and ahead of Ravens/Saints in Week 12 (6.7M). Viewership was the second-lowest of the season, ahead of only Ravens/Saints (10.9M).
The past five MNF telecasts, and six of the past seven, have had double-digit declines in ratings and viewership.
ESPN’s coverage drew a 16.7 rating in New Orleans and a 6.8 in Chicago. The game was simulcast on local affiliates, drawing a 47.9 on New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU and a 16.2 on Chicago ABC affiliate WLS.
Among adults 18-49, Saints/Bears had a 3.8 rating — down 21% from last year (4.8) but up 6% from 2012 (3.6).
(Mon. numbers from ESPN, with additional info from TV By the Numbers)
