For the third straight week, ESPN Monday Night Football drew the largest cable television audience of 2009.
Monday’s Panthers/Cowboys tilt drew a 9.9 U.S. rating (11.5 cable) and 15.7 million viewers on ESPN, up 30% and 32%, respectively, from a 7.6 (8.9) and 11.9 million for Jets/Chargers in Week 3 last season.
Panthers/Cowboys ranks as the fourth-most viewed Monday Night Football telecast ever on ESPN, in both total viewers and households.
Through Week 3, ESPN is averaging an 8.9 U.S. rating (10.4 cable) and 14 million viewers for Monday Night Football, up 7% and 5%, respectively, from an 8.3 (9.8) and 13.3 million through the same point last year.
This marks ESPN’s highest average through Week 3 of the NFL season since the net began airing Monday night games in ’06.
Additionally, 3 of ESPN’s 4 telecasts this season rank among the 10 most-viewed programs in the history of the network — Panthers/Cowboys (#4), Colts/Dolphins (#6) and Bills/Patriots (T-10).
Highest rated, most-viewed MNF telecasts ever on ESPN
U.S. rating presented with cable rating in parentheses ().
| Date | Game | Net | Rating | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon., 9/15/08 | Eagles/Cowboys | ESPN | ||
| Mon., 12/3/07 | Patriots/Ravens | ESPN | ||
| Mon., 10/23/06 | Giants/Cowboys | ESPN | ||
| Mon., 9/28/09 | Panthers/Cowboys | ESPN |
9.9 (11.5)
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| Mon., 9/25/06 | Falcons/Saints | ESPN |
