The Lions’ return to relevance attracted more eyeballs than usual Monday night, but it was still not enough for ESPN to avoid yet another decline for Monday Night Football.
ESPN earned a 10.3 U.S. rating and 16.378 million viewers for the Lions’ Week 5 win over the Bears, down 4% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (MIN/NYJ: 10.7, 17.313M), but up 23% and 25%, respectively, from 2009 (NYJ/MIA: 8.4, 13.137M).
The game drew the second-highest numbers of the season for Monday Night Football, behind only Washington/Cowboys in Week 3 (10.6, 17.104M).
So far this season, all six Monday Night Football telecasts have had a decrease in both ratings and viewership compared to last year.
Locally, Monday’s game earned a combined 36.4 rating in Detroit (10.7 on ESPN, 25.7 on local affiliate). Keep in mind the game briefly overlapped with Game 2 of the Tigers/Rangers ALCS on FOX.
In Chicago, the game drew a combined 32.0 rating (18.7 on ESPN, 13.3 on local affiliate).
For the season, ESPN is averaging an 8.6 U.S. rating and 13.622 million viewers for Monday Night Football, down 10% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (9.5, 15.240M), and down 10% and 11%, respectively, from 2009 (9.6, 15.254M).
(This week’s numbers from espnmediazone3.com)
