Monday Night Football opened its season with a pair of multi-year ratings highs.
Texans-Saints averaged a 7.8 rating and 13.08 million viewers in the season premiere of ESPN’s Monday Night Football, marking the highest rated and most-watched Week 1 game on the network since 2015 (Eagles-Falcons: 8.5, 13.56M; Vikings-49ers: 8.8, 14.33M).
The Saints’ narrow win, which peaked at an 11.2 and 18.9 million from 10:15-10:30 PM ET, increased 26% in ratings and 27% in viewership from last year (Jets-Lions: 6.2, 10.34M), and 15% in both measures from 2017 (Saints-Vikings: 6.8, 11.40M).
In addition to the four-year high, Monday’s game delivered the eighth-largest Week 1 audience on ESPN since at least 2000 (34 telecasts). Regardless of week, it ranks as the fourth-most watched game on ESPN since 2016.
Later Monday night, Broncos-Raiders averaged a 6.5 and 10.62 million — up 10% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (Rams-Raiders: 5.9, 9.61M), and up 8% and 7% respectively from 2017 (Chargers-Broncos: 6.0, 9.95M).
Oakland’s win, which peaked at a 9.4 and 15.88 million, ranks as the highest rated and most-watched late game of ESPN’s annual Week 1 doubleheader since 2015 (Vikings-49ers: 8.8, 14.33M).
Texans-Saints averaged a 4.4 rating in adults 18-49 (+16%), ESPN’s highest in Week 1 since 2016 (Pittsburgh-Washington: 4.8). Broncos-Raiders scored a 3.8 in the demo (+3%).
The full list of Week 1 NFL ratings is available here.
[Nielsen estimates from ESPN, with additional info from ShowBuzz Daily 9.10]
