For the fourth time this season, a decline in overnights led to an increase in final ratings for Monday Night Football.
The Week 10 Panthers/Eagles Monday Night Football game drew a 7.2 final rating and 11.3 million viewers on ESPN, up 1% in ratings and 3% in viewership from Dolphins/Buccaneers last year (7.1, 11.0M), down 12% in both measures from Chiefs/Steelers in 2012 (8.2, 12.8M), and the least-watched MNF telecast of the season.
The previous low was 11.5 million for Cardinals/Chargers in Week 1, which began after 10 PM ET. Monday’s game narrowly avoided hitting a season-low in ratings, edging Cardinals/Chargers 7.2 to 7.1.
Panthers/Eagles was the fourth MNF telecast this season to end up with an increase in final ratings after a decline in the overnights. While eight of 11 telecasts have had declines in overnights, only four have had declines in final ratings.
The Eagles’ 24-point win marked yet another primetime NFL blowout, coming just one day after the Packers’ rout of the Bears drew a season-low rating on NBC. With the caveat that the Thursday night games have increased due primarily to the addition of CBS, the blowouts have had minimal impact thus far. Of the 31 primetime games on CBS/NFL Network, NBC and ESPN, 21 have had increases in ratings and 22 have had increases in viewership.
Of the 16 primetime games that have been decided by at least 20 points, ratings and viewership have increased for 12. Even with the CBS Thursday Night Football games excluded, ratings and viewership have improved for 8 of the 12 blowouts.
Through Week 10, ESPN has averaged an 8.5 rating and 13.6 million viewers for MNF — up 1% in ratings and 4% in viewership from last year (8.3, 13.1M) and up a tick and 4%, respectively, from 2012 (8.4, 13.1M). This season ranks as the highest rated and most-watched on ESPN through ten weeks since 2010 (9.2, 14.7M).
Among adults 18-49, Panthers/Eagles had a 4.1 rating — up 5% from last year (3.9) and down 16% from 2012 (4.9).
CORRECTION 11/16: There were 16 primetime games decided by at least 20 points through Week 10, not 17 as previously reported.
(Mon. numbers/season avg. from ESPN, with additional info from TV By the Numbers)
