or


[01/05/22 - 12:37 PM]
ESPN's 2021 "Monday Night Football" Traditional Schedule Delivers Franchise's Best Viewership Since 2013
ESPN's traditional 17-game "MNF" package averaged 13.5 million viewers a game, up 11% from 2020 and 7% from 2019.
[via press release from ESPN]

ESPN's 2021 "Monday Night Football" Traditional Schedule Delivers Franchise's Best Viewership Since 2013; Inaugural "MNF: Saturday Doubleheader" Begins NFL's Week 18 Season Finale

· Monday Night Football Averaged 13.5 Million Viewers/Game, Up 11% from 2020 and 7% from 2019

· Week 1 was Most-Watched MNF Game Since 2016; Multi-Year Highs Set Throughout the Season

· Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Shattered ESPN's Alternate Telecast Viewership Records

· Week 18: Kansas City at Denver & Dallas at Philadelphia on Saturday, January 8

ESPN's 2021 Monday Night Football schedule scored a touchdown with viewers, earning the historic television franchise's best season-long viewership since 2013. ESPN's traditional 17-game MNF package averaged 13.5 million viewers a game, up 11% from 2020 and 7% from 2019. The two yearly percentage increases are the best among any NFL media rights holder in both years. Narrowing in, MNF was up in nearly every demo compared to the 2020 season including Persons 25-34 (4%), Persons 18-49 (7%), Persons 25-54 (9%) and Females (11%).

For the first time, ESPN's regular season schedule will extend to the NFL's Season Finale, as Monday Night Football: Doubleheader Saturday premieres on Saturday, Jan. 8, with the Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos (4:30 p.m. ET) and Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (8:15 p.m.), with both games available on ESPN, ABC and ESPN+.

Then, ESPN and ABC - with MegaCast offerings on ESPN2 and ESPN+ - will air the first Monday night NFL Super Wild Card game on January 17 (8 p.m.).

The 2021 Monday Night Football Slate Delivered Most-Watched Games in Multiple Seasons

The 2021 Monday Night Football campaign began with the franchise's largest opening week audience on ESPN, when the Ravens-Raiders matchup delivered 17 million viewers. That significant audience was MNF's best in 68 games, dating back to the 2016 season. Additionally, adding in the Rams-Cardinals and Vikings-Bears matchups, which each generated more than 15.84 million viewers, this season's MNF slate delivered three of the four most-watched MNF games in the franchise's last 40 matchups.

On a week-to-week basis, Monday Night Football set multiple multi-year superlatives, including the best Week 3 viewership since 2012, highest Week 7 audience since 2014, top Week 13 viewership since 2013 and best Week 15 viewership since 2011. A complete breakdown is provided below.

ESPN's Monday Night Football Week 17 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers (Jan. 3, 8 p.m.) delivered an audience of 13.3 million viewers (ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes).

Peyton and Eli Raise the Bar for Alternate Telecast Viewership

Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli rewrote ESPN's record books when it comes to alternate telecasts, as the critically-acclaimed show now holds ESPN's record for the eight most-watched alternate telecasts (More than 60+ since 2014). The show's regular season high came with 1.96 million viewers (New York Giants at Kansas City, Week 8) and also hit 1.9 million on two other occasions (Philadelphia at Dallas, Week 3 and Detroit at Green Bay, Week 2). Overall, the nine episodes averaged 1.6 million viewers.

ESPN's Most-Watched Alternate Telecasts (2014-Present)

Rank Alternate Telecast Matchup Date Viewership

1. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Giants-Chiefs November 1, 2021 (Week 8) 1.96 million viewers

2. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Eagles-Cowboys September 27, 2021 (Week 3) 1.89 million viewers

3. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Lions-Packers September 20, 2021 (Week 2) 1.86 million viewers

4. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Patriots-Bills December 6, 2021 (Week 13) 1.63 million viewers

5. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Saints-Seahawks October 25, 2021 (Week 7) 1.61 million viewers

6. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Giants-Buccaneers November 22, 2021 (Week 11) 1.58 million viewers

7. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Rams-49ers November 15, 2021 (Week 10) 1.55 million viewers

8. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Browns-Steelers January 3, 2022 (Week 17) 1.48 million viewers

ESPN's Monday Night Football Individual Game Highlights:

Week Matchup Audience Superlative(s)

Week 1 Ravens-Raiders 16,974,000 viewers

· Most-watched MNF game since 2016 (68 games)

· Most-watched MNF Week 1 game in the ESPN era (2006-present)

Week 2 Lions-Packers 13,808,000 viewers

· Second-most-watched MNF Week 2 game since 2014

Week 3 Eagles-Cowboys 14,904,000 viewers

· Most-watched MNF Week 3 presentation since 2012

Week 7 Saints-Seahawks 12,866,000 viewers

· Most-watched MNF Week 7 game since 2014

Week 8 Giants-Chiefs 13,990,000 viewers

· MNF's best Week 8 audience since 2014

Week 9 Bears-Steelers 12,103,000 viewers

· Second-best MNF Week 9 audience since 2014

Week 10 49ers-Rams 12,325,000 viewers

· Second-best MNF Week 10 audience since 2012

Week 13 Patriots-Bills 14,909,000 viewers

· MNF's top Week 13 audience since 2013

Week 14 Rams-Cardinals 15,895,000 viewers

· MNF second-best audience in 27 games, dating back to Week 3 of the 2020 season (Kansas City at Baltimore)

Week 15 Vikings-Bears 15,841,000 viewers

· MNF's highest Week 15 audience since 2011

Week 17 Browns-Steelers 13,256,000 viewers

· MNF's first Week 17 game on ESPN

-30-





  [january 2022]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (ABC)




most recent ratings | view all posts
[09/18/26 - 03:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Wins Late Night Across the Board
For the sixth week running, "Nightline" increased year to year in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54.
[09/18/26 - 12:58 PM]
Marking a Somber Anniversary of the September 11 Attacks, ABC News' 9/11 Special, Anchored by David Muir, Robin Roberts and Diane Sawyer, Draws Over 4 Million Total Viewers
The special was also the No. 1 non-sports program of the night in Adults 25-54 (802,000) and Adults 18-49 (559,000).

[09/16/26 - 02:41 PM]
"Monday Night Football" Opens Super Bowl LXI Season with Record-Setting Audience; Broncos-Chiefs Becomes Most-Watched Week 1 Game of ESPN's "MNF" Era
The season opener between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs delivered an audience of 23.2 million viewers across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and NFL+.
[09/16/26 - 02:30 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Leaps Back Into the Ballroom as Tuesday's No. 1 Show, Delivering Nearly 7 Million Total Viewers - Scores Show's Biggest Season Premiere in 6 Years
Among Adults 18-49, the "Dancing with the Stars" season opener jumped +40% over last year's premiere, with the show's best premiere performance in the key Adult demographic in nine years.
[09/16/26 - 12:20 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of September 7
"Reacher," "The Grand Tour," "Sterling Point," "Off Campus," and "LOL Next" led all original series worldwide.
[09/15/26 - 04:06 PM]
US Open Men's Championship Averages 3.2M Viewers, ESPN's Largest Audience Ever
Viewership peaked at 4.0M from 5:30-5:45 p.m. ET.
[09/15/26 - 03:21 PM]
Michigan's Win Over Oklahoma Scores 8,221,000 Viewers on FOX
Plus: 3,094,000 viewers tuned in to Friday's Missouri-Kansas matchup on FOX.
[09/15/26 - 03:05 PM]
Ohio State/Texas Delivers ABC/ESPN's Top Regular Season Game in 10 Years; "College GameDay" Scores Most-Watched Week 2 Episode Ever
ABC scores two of week 2's top three games, with Alabama at Kentucky winning the afternoon by more than double the competition.
[09/15/26 - 02:58 PM]
FOX's "America's Game of the Week" Comes Out on Top in a Rare Week 1 Head-to-Head Matchup in the National 4:25 PM ET Window
20,346,000 viewers tuned-in to the Philadelphia Eagles win over the Washington Commanders in a window with head-to-head national competition.
[09/15/26 - 01:52 PM]
NBC Sports Delivers 25+ Million Viewers for Both NFL Kickoff Game and "Sunday Night Football" Opener for First Time Since 2015
Sunday's Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants matchup averaged 25.7 million on NBC and Peacock, marking the most watched NBC "Sunday Night Football" season opener since 2015 (Giants at Cowboys), based on Nielsen Big Data inclusive of first party data.
[09/15/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of September 7 - "The Gentlemen" Brings Sophistication to the No. 1 Spot in This Week's Top 10
"Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Again?" debuted at the top of the English film list, gathering 19.3 million views for its lakeside destination wedding.
[09/14/26 - 03:51 PM]
ESPN Aces Its Most-Viewed US Open Women's Semifinals Action Ever, Averaging 2.2M Viewers
Viewership peaked with 2.6M avg. viewers (9:45-10 p.m. ET) during Coco Gauff's three-set showdown against Elena Rybakina.
[09/14/26 - 11:57 AM]
NFL Gameday in Melbourne on Netflix Scores With an Average 18.5 Million US Viewers for First-Ever NFL Regular Season Game in Australia
Globally, the historic matchup averaged 21.7 million viewers, with fans from over 200 countries and territories tuning in to the first-ever NFL regular season game played in Australia.
[09/14/26 - 09:50 AM]
NFL Kickoff Game on NBC and Peacock Featuring Patriots-Seahawks Tops 25 Million Viewers for Fourth Consecutive Year
In addition, NBC Sports delivered the largest NFL Kickoff Game audience among Adults 18-49 since 2021, averaging 10.0 million viewers in the key demographic across NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital and NFL Digital properties.

[09/10/26 - 11:02 AM]
Wisconsin-Notre Dame on NBC & Peacock Is NBC Sports' Third-Most Watched Notre Dame Football Game Since 2005, Averaging 8.1 Million Viewers
The audience for the No. 4 Fighting Irish's 41-13 victory peaked at 9.7 million viewers in the second quarter (9:15-9:30 p.m. ET) as Notre Dame led 13-10.