Monday Night Football‘s ratings slump ended just in time for the season finale.
The Week 16 Broncos/Bengals Monday Night Football game drew a 9.7 final rating and 16.0 million viewers on ESPN, up 21% in ratings and viewership over Falcons/49ers last year (8.0, 13.2M) and up 62% and 65%, respectively, from Falcons/Lions on a Saturday night in 2012 (6.0, 9.7M).
The Bengals’ win was the first MNF telecast since Panthers/Eagles in Week 10 to have an increase in ratings or viewership, ending a two-month tailspin in which six of seven telecasts declined by double-digits. Overall, nine of the 17 Monday night games had a decline in ratings and eight declined in viewership.
Monday’s game also earned the second-highest rating and viewership for MNF this season, trailing only Washington/Cowboys in Week 8 (11.4, 18.8M). Those were the only two games to top the 15.0 million mark, compared to five last year and four in 2012.
Broncos/Bengals had a 5.1 rating among adults 18-49, up 13% from last year (4.5) and up 50% from 2012 (3.4).
The full season of Monday Night Football averaged an 8.3 rating and 13.3 million viewers on ESPN, down 4% in ratings and 2% in viewership from last year (8.6, 13.7M), but up a tick and 4%, respectively, from 2012 (8.2, 12.8M). This season ranks as the second-lowest rated MNF campaign since 2008 and the third-least watched over that span.
(Mon. numbers/season avg. from ESPN; A18-49 numbers from TV By the Numbers)
