In what may have been the final Monday Night Football game for the foreseeable future, ESPN drew strong numbers for the Saints’ win over the Falcons.
Monday’s Saints/Falcons game drew a 12.1 overnight rating on ESPN, up 11% from Week 16 last year (MIN/CHI: 10.9), and up 34% from Week 16 in 2008 (GB/CHI: 9.0).
The 12.1 is the third-highest overnight of the season for Monday Night Football, behind only Giants/Cowboys in Week 7 (12.3) and Vikings/Jets in Week 5 (12.2).
With the increase from last year’s Week 16 game, Saints/Falcons should put Monday Night Football on pace to surpass last year’s full-season average rating. Entering Week 15, MNF was even in ratings compared to last season.
The ESPN telecast drew a 24.0 rating in New Orleans and a 16.5 in Atlanta. As usual, the game was simulcast on local broadcast affiliates in both markets, earning a 36.6 on New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU and a 20.9 on Altanta ABC affiliate WSB.
(Rating from Sports Business Daily)
