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[10/31/06 - 05:22 PM]
ESPN's NFL Coverage Up 47% VS. 2005
ESPN spins the numbers for Monday, October 30.
[via press release from ESPN]

ESPN'S NFL COVERAGE UP 47% VS. 2005

24 MILLION PAGE VIEWS MONDAY FOR ESPN.COM, UP 56% FROM 2005 EVERY WEEK WITH MNF, ESPN LEADS ALL NETWORKS FOR MALE VIEWERS

Last night's 31-7 blowout by the New England Patriots over the Minnesota Vikings on ESPN's Monday Night Football earned a 9.6 rating, representing an average of 8,867,000 homes (11,884,000 viewers, P2+). The game is cable television's 11th-biggest household audience of all time, and eighth-biggest this year, behind only other MNF games.

Last night's MNF telecast was simulcast on local over-the-air channels in Boston (10.6 rating) and Dallas (16.5 rating), boosting ESPN's audience to an estimated average of 9,300,000 households. The total also includes those viewing in high definition on ESPN HD.

All eight weeks ESPN has led all networks - cable or broadcast - in delivery of all key male demos: men 18+, men 18-34, men 18-49 and men 25-54. MNF continues to boost ESPN's ratings throughout the day; adding in the pre- and post-game shows, ESPN delivered 19.9 gross ratings points.

Season to Date

For the NFL season to date, MNF on ESPN is averaging a 10.7 rating and 9,842,000 homes (13,295,000 P2+) for nine games in eight weeks. These represent increases of 47%, 49% and 48%, respectively, compared to the first seven weeks of last year's ESPN Sunday Night Football (7.3 rating, 6.611 million homes, 8.995 million viewers). ESPN's nine MNF games so far are cable television's best ratings and largest audiences of the year.

In addition, Monday Night Countdown is averaging a 2.5 rating (2,292,000 homes), increases of 39% and 43% over last year (1.8 rating and 1,602,000 homes).

"Monday Night Surround" on ESPN.com

Online, ESPN.com's NFL and "Monday Night Surround" content viewed on computers and wireless devices generated more than 24 million page views Monday, up 56 percent over page views last year according to Web measurement tool HitBox. In addition, there were nearly 2.1 million views of pro-football-related videos on ESPN Motion and ESPN360 on Monday (through Tuesday at noon).

Use this link for today's press release with notable quotes from ESPN commentators during last night's telecast: http://media.espn.com/ESPNToday/2006/Oct_06/mnf_quotes4.htm

NEXT WEEK ON MNF

Next week, ESPN's MNF will feature the Oakland Raiders visiting the Seattle Seahawks in an AFC West Division rivalry at 8:30 p.m.





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