ESPN scored another relatively weak NFL preseason audience on Monday.
Monday’s Giants-Browns NFL preseason game earned a 2.3 rating and 3.6 million viewers on ESPN, down 21% in ratings and 15% in viewership from Bengals-Buccaneers two years ago (2.9, 4.2M). ESPN did not air a Monday night preseason game last year.
The Browns’ win was the least-watched Monday night preseason game in nine years, since another Browns-Giants matchup in 2008 (3.5M). ESPN has earned smaller audiences on other nights, including just 2.6 million for Buccaneers-Jaguars last Thursday.
The news was better on NFL Network, where Falcons-Steelers earned a 1.3 and 2.1 million Sunday afternoon — the fifth-largest preseason audience ever on the channel. The Steelers have played in four of the eight most-watched preseason games on NFL Network.
In other NFL Network action, Saints-Chargers had a 1.0 and 1.6 million Sunday night. There was no comparable window last year. On Saturday, Colts-Cowboys scored a 1.1 (+69%) and 1.7 million (+57%), Broncos-49ers a 0.8 (+60%) and 1.3 million (+67%) and Panthers-Titans a 0.7 (even) and 1.0 million (-1%). Vikings-Seahawks scored a 0.7 (-13%) and 1.1 million (-7%) on Friday.
Through Sunday, the preseason has averaged 2.1 million viewers — up 69% from last year, when coverage aired opposite the Olympics (1.3M), but down 27% from 2015 (3.0M). This year’s preseason has included three games on non-NFL Network outlets, compared to one at this point last year and four in 2015.
[Numbers via Programming Insider 8.23, ShowBuzz Daily 8.22]
