For the fifth time in seven weeks, ratings and viewership declined for ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
Monday’s Ravens/Texans game drew a 7.7 final rating and 11.927 million viewers on ESPN, down 7% in ratings and 9% in viewership from Week 14 last year (SF/AZ: 8.3, 13.077 mil), and up 4% and 3%, respectively, from Week 14 in 2008 (TB/CAR: 7.4, 11.582 mil).
The Ravens’ overtime win ranks as the sixth-lowest rated, sixth-least viewed Monday night telecast of the season (15 telecasts).
This marks the fifth time in the past seven weeks that ratings and viewership have dropped for Monday Night Football. Overall this season, seven of fifteen telecasts have had declines in both ratings and viewership compared to last year.
In several markets, including the nation’s top television market (New York), Ravens/Texans aired opposite Giants/Vikings on FOX. The Giants/Vikings game was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon, but was pushed back due to inclement weather.
Giants/Vikings drew a 34.3 rating in Minneapolis-St. Paul and a 15.3 in New York, severely impacting the ratings for Ravens/Texans in those markets.
In Minneapolis, Ravens/Texans drew just a 2.9 rating, down 66% from the market’s season average (8.5). New York turned in just a 3.2, down 57% from the season average (7.5).
Overall, ESPN is averaging an 8.8 U.S. rating and 14.190 million viewers for Monday Night Football, down 2% in ratings and 1% in viewership from last year (9.0, 14.382 mil). The network is on pace to have its second-best Monday Night Football season (five seasons).
Ratings/Viewership For Monday Night Football During 2010 Season
| Date | Window | Game | Net | Rating | vs. ’09 | Viewers (000) | vs. ’09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon., 9/13/10 | MNF | Ravens 10 | ESPN |
9.4
|
6%
|
14,973
|
7%
|
| Jets 9 | |||||||
| MNF | Chargers 14 | ESPN |
7.6
|
even
|
11,889
|
even
|
|
| Chiefs 21 | |||||||
| Mon., 9/20/10 | MNF | Saints 25 | ESPN |
9.4
|
even
|
15,120
|
3%
|
| 49ers 22 | |||||||
| Mon., 9/27/10 | MNF | Packers 17 | ESPN |
10.8
|
9%
|
17,454
|
11%
|
| Bears 20 | |||||||
| Mon., 10/4/10 | MNF | Patriots 41 | ESPN |
9.0
|
-32%
|
13,971
|
-36%
|
| Dolphins 14 | |||||||
| Mon., 10/11/10 | MNF | Vikings 20 | ESPN |
10.7
|
27%
|
17,313
|
32%
|
| Jets 29 | |||||||
| Mon., 10/18/10 | MNF | Titans 30 | ESPN |
6.2
|
-25%
|
9,666
|
-28%
|
| Jaguars 3 | |||||||
| Mon., 10/25/10 | MNF | Giants 41 | ESPN |
11.2
|
38%
|
17,953
|
41%
|
| Cowboys 35 | |||||||
| Mon., 11/1/10 | MNF | Texans 17 | ESPN |
7.4
|
-4%
|
11,911
|
-4%
|
| Colts 30 | |||||||
| Mon., 11/8/10 | MNF | Steelers 27 | ESPN |
9.2
|
-7%
|
15,016
|
-6%
|
| Bengals 21 | |||||||
| Mon., 11/15/10 | MNF |
Eagles 59
|
ESPN |
9.3
|
43%
|
15,032
|
47%
|
|
Washington 28
|
|||||||
| Mon., 11/22/10 | MNF |
Broncos 14
|
ESPN |
7.2
|
-6%
|
11,664
|
-3%
|
|
Chargers 35
|
|||||||
| Mon., 11/29/10 | MNF |
49ers 27
|
ESPN |
7.0
|
-46%
|
11,202
|
-48%
|
|
Cardinals 6
|
|||||||
| Mon., 12/6/10 | MNF |
Jets 3
|
ESPN |
10.0
|
20%
|
16,533
|
23%
|
|
Patriots 45
|
|||||||
| Mon., 12/13/10 | MNF |
Ravens 34
|
ESPN |
7.7
|
-7%
|
11,927
|
-9%
|
|
Texans 28
|
(Ratings from ESPN; Giants/Vikings numbers from USA Today)
UPDATED 12/15/10: Local ratings for Ravens/Texans in New York and Minneapolis are included, as well as the season averages for Monday Night Football.
