ESPN Set Records...MNF

ESPN’S NFL COVERAGE UP 34% VS. 2005
LAST NIGHT, ESPN LEADS ALL NETWORKS FOR KEY MALE DEMOS
21.0 GROSS RATINGS POINTS ON TV, 25 MILLION PAGE VIEWS ON ESPN.COM

Last night, ESPN’s Monday Night Football earned a 10.3 rating for the Denver Broncos’ 13-3 victory over the previously unbeaten Baltimore Ravens, representing 9,455,000 homes (12,505,000 viewers, P2+), cable television’s fourth-biggest audience of all time, and third-biggest this year, behind only previous MNF telecasts. It was the fourth-straight week that MNF earned a rating over a 10.

In addition, last night ESPN led all networks – cable or broadcast – in delivery of all key male demos. MNF continues to boost ESPN’s ratings throughout the day; adding in the pre- and post-game shows, ESPN delivered 21.0 gross ratings points.

Online, ESPN.com’s NFL and "Monday Night Surround" content viewed on computers and wireless devices generated more than 25 million page views Monday, up 50 percent over page views last year according to Web measurement tool HitBox. In addition, there were 1.46 million views of pro-football-related videos on ESPN Motion and ESPN360 on Monday (through Tuesday at noon).

For the NFL season to date, MNF on ESPN is averaging a 10.3 rating and 9,474,000 homes (12,867,000 P2+) for six games in five weeks. These represent increases of 34%, 37% and 36%, respectively, compared to the first five weeks of last year’s ESPN Sunday Night Football (7.7 rating, 6.937 million homes, 9.466 million viewers). ESPN’s six MNF games so far are cable television’s best ratings and largest audiences of the year.

Last night’s MNF telecast was simulcast on local over-the-air channels in Baltimore (21.2 rating) and Denver (24.3 rating), boosting ESPN’s audience to an estimated average of 10,036,000 households. The total also includes those viewing in high definition on ESPN HD.