A lopsided score kept ESPN from blockbuster numbers for Monday’s much-hyped Saints/Seahawks game.
The Week 13 Saints/Seahawks “Monday Night Football” game drew a 9.7 U.S. rating and 15.5 million viewers on ESPN, down 5% in ratings and 4% in viewership from Giants/Washington last year (10.2, 16.2M), but up 59% and 64%, respectively, from Chargers/Jaguars in 2011 (6.1, 9.5M).
Despite the modest decline, Saints/Seahawks earned the fourth-highest rating and viewership of the season for “Monday Night Football” — trailing only Patriots/Panthers in Week 11 (9.9, 15.8M), Bears/Packers in Week 9 (10.1, 16.1M), and Eagles/Washington in Week 1 (10.1, 16.5M).
Monday’s game drew a 5.4 rating among adults 18-49, down 10% from last year (6.0), but up 43% from 2011 (3.8).
Locally, the ESPN telecast drew a 21.3 rating in Seattle and an 18.0 in New Orleans. The game was simulcast on local affiliates in both markets, earning a 25.2 on Seattle independent affiliate KONG and a 37.2 on New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU.
Through Week 13, ESPN has averaged an 8.5 U.S. rating and 13.5 million viewers for NFL coverage — up 1% and 3%, respectively, from last year (8.4, 13.1M).
(Mon. finals from ESPN Media Zone, TV By the Numbers)
