For the second straight week, ESPN matched its second-lowest NFL rating of the season.
The Week 8 Colts/Panthers Monday Night Football game drew a 7.8 final rating and 12.4 million viewers on ESPN, down 32% in ratings and 34% in viewership from Washington/Cowboys last year (11.4, 18.8M) but up 16% and 15%, respectively, from Seahawks/Rams opposite the World Series in 2013 (6.7, 10.8M).
The Panthers’ overtime win tied the second-lowest MNF rating of the season, matching Ravens/Cardinals the previous week and ahead of only Steelers/Chargers in Week 5 (7.7). It earned the third-smallest audience, topping the aforementioned games (12.2M for each).
The game was also the third of the past four Monday night telecasts to have a decline in both ratings and viewership. Overall, six of the nine have had a decline in at least one of the measures.
Among adults 18-49, MNF had a 4.6 rating — down a third from last year (6.9) but up 10% from 2013 (4.2).
(Mon. numbers from ESPN, with additional info from TV By the Numbers)
