or


[12/28/10 - 04:04 PM]
Saints-Falcons "MNF" Finale is Cable's No. 3 Audience All-Time and Most-Watched Cable Show of Year
ESPN spins the numbers for Monday, December 27.
[via press release from ESPN]

ESPN's Highest-Rated and Most-Viewed Season of "Monday Night Football"

Most-Watched Series on Cable and 16 Biggest Cable Household Audiences of 2010;

Saints-Falcons "MNF" Finale is Cable's No. 3 Audience All-Time and Most-Watched Cable Show of Year;

Highest-Rated and Most-Viewed Season for Monday Night Countdown

The 41st season of Monday Night Football was the highest-rated and most-viewed season since ESPN assumed sports television's signature series in 2006. For the fifth straight year, MNF was again the most-watched series on cable television, drawing the calendar year's 16 biggest cable household audiences, and the top 12 among viewers. For the second consecutive year, ESPN's MNF averaged higher than a 10 rating and 14 million viewers for the season.

In five seasons on ESPN, Monday Night Football has registered the top 10 all-time biggest household audiences in cable history, four of which occurred this season.

ESPN's 17 Monday Night Football telecasts in 2010 averaged a 10.5 rating (9.1 US rating), representing an average of 10,495,000 households (14,657,000 viewers - P2+), increases of 1%, 2% and 2%, respectively, vs. 2009 (10.4; 10,315,000 and 14,382,000), according to Nielsen. Additionally, MNF ranks No. 2 among all regularly-scheduled Prime Time television programs this season among the coveted adults 18-49 demographic.

MNF ended on a very strong note with last night's game - the New Orleans Saints' 17-14 road victory over NFC South rival Atlanta - delivering a 13.0 rating (11.2 US rating), representing an average of 12,957,000 households (19,137,000 viewers - P2+). The game ranks as the third-largest cable television audience all-time among both households and viewers, excluding breaking news. MNF led all the night's programs (broadcast or cable) among households, viewers and all key male and adult demos, making ESPN the top network for the night in all categories. It marks the sixth time MNF won the night among households, and the fifth time for total viewers, among all networks this NFL season.

"ESPN's Monday Night Football was another resounding success this season, further demonstrating why it remains cable's most valuable television franchise and the signature property within our year-round multiplatform NFL coverage," said John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, programming.

MNF on TV

ESPN's highest-rated and most-viewed Monday Night Football game of 2010 was the New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons (Dec. 27), which topped all of cable television for the year with 12,957,000 households and 19,137,000 viewers based on a 13.0 rating. In five years, ESPN's MNF occupies the top 10 spots on the list of cable's biggest audiences ever among households - and nine of the top 10 among viewers - excluding breaking news.

Other highlights for the 2010 NFL season:

ESPN's MNF games rank as the 16 biggest audiences among households and the 12 biggest among total viewers for cable television in 2010;

ESPN led all networks - cable or broadcast - in delivery of men 18-34, men 18-49, adults 18-34 and adults 18-49 every Monday in primetime this season (16 consecutive weeks); ESPN was also No. 1 in men 25-54 in 15 of 16 weeks, and No. 1 among adults 25-54 on 13 Mondays;

Six times, ESPN won the night as the most-watched network among households, and five times for viewers - cable or broadcast - in Prime Time on Monday;

Monday Night Countdown, ESPN's 90-minute weekly MNF pre-game show, finished with an average 2.7 rating and 2,729,000 households (3,532,000 viewers), representing increases of 13% and 16%, respectively. This ranks as Countdown's highest-rated and most-viewed season ever. Countdown also registered its two most-viewed shows ever.

ESPN Monday Night Football Season Averages (2006-10)

Year Rating Households (000s) Viewers (000s)
2010 10.5 10.495 14.657
2009 10.4 10.315 14.382
2008 8.9 8.679 11.962
2007 8.6 8.277 11.230
2006 9.9 9.109 12.325

Most-Viewed Monday Night Football Games on ESPN (2006 - Present)

Rank Date Program Viewers (000s) HHs (000s)
1. 10/05/2009 Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings 21,839 15,136
2. 11/30/2009 New England Patriots-New Orleans Saints 21,402 14,872
3. 12/27/2010 New Orleans Saints-Atlanta Falcons 19,137 12,957
4. 09/15/2008 Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys 18,608 12,953
5. 10/25/2010 New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys 17,953 12,948
6. 12/03/2007 New England Patriots-Baltimore Ravens 17,522 12,529
7. 09/27/2010 Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears 17,454 12,482
8. 10/11/2010 Minnesota Vikings-New York Jets 17,313 12,454
9. 12/20/2010 Chicago Bears-Minnesota Vikings 17,094 11,573
10. 12/28/2009 Minnesota Vikings-Chicago Bears 17,006 11,899

Top 10 Most-Viewed Programs in Cable Television History (Households):

Rank Date Program Network HHs (000s)
1. 10/05/2009 Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings ESPN 15,136
2. 11/30/2009 New England Patriots-New Orleans Saints ESPN 14,872
3. 12/27/2010 New Orleans Saints-Atlanta Falcons ESPN 12,957
4. 09/15/2008 Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys ESPN 12,953
5. 10/25/2010 New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys ESPN 12,948
6. 12/03/2007 New England Patriots-Baltimore Ravens ESPN 12,529
7. 09/27/2010 Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears ESPN 12,482
8. 10/11/2010 Minnesota Vikings-New York Jets ESPN 12,454
9. 12/28/2009 Minnesota Vikings-Chicago Bears ESPN 11,899
10. 10/23/2006 New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys ESPN 11,807

Top 10 Most-Viewed Programs in Cable Television History (Viewers):

Rank Date Program Network Viewers (000s)
1. 10/05/2009 Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings ESPN 21,839
2. 11/30/2009 New England Patriots-New Orleans Saints ESPN 21,402
3. 12/27/2010 New Orleans Saints-Atlanta Falcons ESPN 19,137
4. 09/15/2008 Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys ESPN 18,608
5. 10/25/2010 New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys ESPN 17,953
6. 12/03/2007 New England Patriots-Baltimore Ravens ESPN 17,522
7. 09/27/2010 Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears ESPN 17,454
8. 10/11/2010 Minnesota Vikings-New York Jets ESPN 17,313
9. 08/17/2007 High School Musical 2 Disney 17,241
10. 12/20/2010 Chicago Bears-Minnesota Vikings ESPN 17,094

Note: excluding breaking news; live + same day

2010 MNF games in bold

MNF Team to Call 2011 Discover Orange Bowl

ESPN's Monday Night Football team of Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski will return to the booth to call the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl between Pac 10 runner-up Stanford and ACC champion Virginia Tech. The Bowl Championship Series game will be played at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida on Monday, January 3, 2011, on ESPN and ESPN HD (simulcast on ESPN3.com) at 8:30 p.m. ET.





  [december 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (ESPN)




most recent ratings | view all posts
[04/16/25 - 09:00 AM]
Paramount+'s Much-Anticipated "1923" Finale Explodes with 14 Million Global Viewers
The finale episode has become the most watched episode ever for the series - up +41% compared to last season's finale of 10 million viewers, with the full season average up +46% in comparison to season one.

[04/15/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of April 7: "Adolescence" Continues Ascent, Now at No. 3 on Most Popular TV List
Documentary series were popular this week with "Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing" (9.8 million views) debuting at No. 1 on the English TV list and "Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer" (3.8 million views) at No. 6.
[04/15/25 - 11:29 AM]
"American Idol" Packs a Punch With Sunday and Monday Wins
On linear, Sunday's "Hollywood Week: Showstopper" was the top entertainment program of the night in Total Viewers (5.92 million) and the top program of the night among Adults 18-49 (0.57 rating) on broadcast and cable.
[04/15/25 - 08:34 AM]
Chicago Cubs vs Los Angeles Dodgers on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" Is Most-Watched MLB Game of Season Across All Platforms
The broadcast peaked at 9:30 p.m. ET with 2,445,000 viewers.
[04/15/25 - 08:24 AM]
ESPN Earns Its Best Nielsen Q1 Viewership Since 2017, Further Cementing a Stellar Start to 2025
In addition, ESPN's average-minute-audience was up 22% overall and 15% in the Persons 18-49 demo from Nielsen Q1 in 2024.
[04/12/25 - 01:47 PM]
ESPN's Masters Tournament Second Round Coverage Averages 3.1 Million Viewers; Peaks at 3.4M
The audience was up considerably from Thursday's first round, which averaged 2.3 million viewers.

[04/11/25 - 02:36 PM]
ESPN's First Round Masters Tournament Coverage Averages 2.3 Million Viewers
The coverage aired from 3-7:23 p.m. ET and was the most-viewed sports program for the day across all broadcast and cable networks.
[04/11/25 - 01:06 PM]
Max Original "The Pitt" Concludes Its Freshman Season Averaging Over 10 Million Global Viewers Per Episode
The first episode has tallied 16.2 million global viewers thus far.
[04/10/25 - 09:45 AM]
Paramount+'s New Hit "MobLand" Surges with 8.8 Million Global Viewers; Biggest Series Launch Ever on the Service Up +298% from Premiere Day
The new global crime series premiered Sunday, March 30, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia and will be coming to other P+ international markets soon.
[04/09/25 - 11:31 AM]
ESPN Wraps Up Successful 2024-25 Women's College Basketball Campaign
The national title bout between No. 2 UConn and No. 1 South Carolina scored 8.6 million viewers, the third most-viewed women's college basketball championship game on ESPN platforms and up 76% from the last time the teams played for the title in 2022.
[04/08/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of March 31: "Adolescence" Leads Top 10 Charts Again, Jumps to No. 4 on Most Popular
Documentary series "Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer," from two-time Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning director Liz Garbus, also made a strong debut, arriving at No. 2 on the English TV list with 13 million views in its first week.
[04/07/25 - 02:20 PM]
ABC Scores Third Most-Watched NCAA Women's Championship Ever on ESPN Platforms
The telecast averaged 8.5 million viewers and peaked at 9.8 million viewers.
[04/07/25 - 11:56 AM]
"The White Lotus" Finale Episode Draws 6.2 Million U.S. Sunday Night Viewers, Breaking Viewership Records for Third Consecutive Week
Sunday's season finale episode performed an astounding 51% higher than the Season 2 finale (4.1 million U.S. viewers).

[04/04/25 - 07:01 AM]
Paramount+'s New Series "MobLand" Breaks Record as Biggest Global Series Premiere Ever with 2.2 Million Global Viewers on Premiere Day
"'MobLand' is a runaway success thanks to the visionary work of Guy, Jez, Ronan and David Glasser and brought to life by the exceptional Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren who transport us into a world audiences clearly cannot get enough of," said Chris McCarthy.
[04/02/25 - 10:49 AM]
"The Rookie" Shoots to Multiplatform Season Highs in Both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49
On linear, "The Rookie" was the No. 1 program of the night among Adults 18-49 (0.48 - tied), and helped propel ABC to a win the night in both Total Viewers (4.68 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.39 rating).