Last year’s low bar is paying dividends for this year’s Monday Night Football ratings.
Washington-Philadelphia scored a 6.9 rating and 11.3 million viewers on ESPN’s Monday Night Football last night, up 3% in ratings and 1% in viewership from Texans-Broncos last year (6.7, 11.2M) but down 12% and 8% respectively from Ravens-Cardinals in 2015 (7.8, 12.2M).
ESPN’s Nielsen ratings now include streaming viewership on television. Comparisons are to previous years’ TV-only numbers.
The Eagles’ win, which peaked at an 8.4 and 13.9 million from 9:45-10 PM ET, was the fourth of six MNF games to increase over last year. Keep in mind last year’s game delivered the series’ weakest Week 7 performance since 2012.
Monday Night Football is now averaging 11.2 million viewers, up 5% from last year, when the series ended up averaging its smallest audience since 2007.
ESPN’s telecast had a 16.4 rating in Philadelphia and an 11.0 in Washington (D.C.). Coverage was simulcast on local broadcast affiliates in both markets, earning a 15.1 on independent Philadelphia affiliate WPHL and a 10.3 on D.C. ABC affiliate WJLA.
Outside of the home markets, Norfolk, Va., topped the charts at a 16.9, followed by Richmond, Va. (14.7) Baltimore (12.2), Buffalo (11.2) and New Orleans (10.8).
In an encouraging sign for the NFL, ratings rose disproportionately in younger demographics — up 13% in adults 18-34 (3.4) and 5% in adults 18-49 (3.9). Ratings were basically flat in adults 25-54 (4.3) and declined in adults 50+ (4.9). That is a notable shift from other primetime games this season, when the numbers were softest in the youngest demographics.
[Wknd. numbers via ESPN, ShowBuzz Daily 10.24]
