ESPN’s Monday Night Football Ratings Down Nearly 10 Percent From 2010

All, ESPN, NFL, Television Jason McIntyre December 30th. 2011, 12:41pm

Monday Night Football set cable TV audience records in 2010, but saw a significant drop in 2011 according to the Hollywood Reporter:

This year, ESPN averaged 13.3 million viewers, a 9.7 cable rating, an 8.4 U.S. rating and 9.59 million households for the 17 “Monday Night Football” airings. In 2010, the network scored a record-setting average cable rating of 10.5, attracting 10.49 million households and 14.7 million viewers.

It’s still the most-watched program on cable, but perhaps next year, ESPN will try to avoid all these crappy teams that polluted MNF this year:

St. Louis x2
Tampa Bay
Jacksonville x2
Seattle

It didn’t help that Indianapolis, Kansas City and Minnesota all were hit with significant injuries and were unwatchable for large portions of the season. I guess ESPN bought into the Sam Bradford hype when setting the schedule. The only reason I can think Jacksonville was on twice was because the NFL made them throw the Jags’ a bone.

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40 Responses to “ESPN’s Monday Night Football Ratings Down Nearly 10 Percent From 2010”

1
BrawnyTom Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 12:46 PM
You could make a decent argument for picking those 4 teams:
St. Louis x2 – Finished a game out of the division in 2010 with young and upcoming QB
Tampa Bay – Young team that showed flashes and could make leap .
Jacksonville x2 – Schedule was set when Garrard was still QB, finished game out last year.
Seattle – Division winner in 2010 plus a playoff win.
Also, I am pretty sure NBC gets first pick of non protected games each week since they are on a network, though I am not certain. MNF will only get worse with more Thursday night games.
2
Vic Colfari Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 12:46 PM
Contract Jacksonville (and Cincy while you’re at it). Cincy, likely a playoff team this year, had 6 of 7 home games which have been played so far blacked out. What a pathetic fan base. I know they’ve had to deal with one of the worst, if not the worst, ownership groups in the NFL, but when the team is actually not bad, shut up and go to the games. Houston has sold out for going on 10 years straight and this is the first year they have ever really been close to making the playoffs.
Cincy must be a shit hole. They even rip off the Saints’ “Who Dat” stuff with there pathetic “Who Dey” chants. Bunch of losers.
3
The Wayne Fontes Safari Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 12:48 PM
Needs more Lions…
4
Anti-KC Res Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 12:48 PM
Also known as, “The Gruden Effect.”
5
Vic Colfari Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 12:49 PM
“their”
6
you gotta go Mike Quade Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 12:54 PM
Interesting The correlation between marquee teams and high ratings is something I don’t think we will ever clearly figure out. WHy do people wnat to watch the big games? Why not the little games? You could almost compare it to baseball. Yankees, Cards, Red Sox, Cubs , Phillies ar ethe ratings grabbers. No one would watch a Padres-Brewers game. So all in all marquee teams is the highest rated games Does it help if they are good sure, but it’s not gonn abring in the total viewrs ya know. very thoughtful analysis I think
7
BrawnyTom Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Contract Jacksonville
Then who are they going to move to LA?
8
TexansFan Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 12:58 PM
The only “Who Dey” I like is the girl wearing the Bengals bikini
9
Geeezeus Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:00 PM
Then who are they going to move to LA?
New owner is committed to Jacksonvill long-term. Apparently a clause in the purchase agreement requires a substantial payment (10′s of millions) to Wayne Weaver’s charity if the team is moved in the next 5 years.
10
cleet Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:00 PM
THIS GUY
11
cleet Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:02 PM
New owner is committed to Jacksonvill long-term.
But can you trust him with that mustache?
12
Broccoli Beef Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:03 PM
The only “Who Dey” I like is the girl wearing the Bengals bikini
That’s what I’m talking about. And I’d love to get it off her asap.
13
TexansFan Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:03 PM
they guy also said he wasnt selling the team a few months before he sold it..
14
TexansFan Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:04 PM
a few weeks*
15
jthussler Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:04 PM
Seattle
Better than the Jets.
16
Space Docking the Blue Waffle Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Where’s this chick in the Bengals bikini?
17
Broccoli Beef Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:06 PM
Where’s this chick in the Bengals bikini?
She was one of the pigsplosion cheerleaders one week.
18
reggie_dunlap Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:08 PM
To be fair, CBS kicked ass on Monday nights with 2 broke girls and that Ashton kutcher-look-how-stupid-yet-I’m-so-hip show.
19
Nada Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:08 PM
Monday Night Football set cable TV audience records in 2010, but saw a significant drop in 2011
This mystery is easily solved: Jaws and Chucky.
20
mizerle06 is mcintyred of all the trollin' Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:13 PM
ESPN will try to avoid all these crappy teams that polluted MNF this year:
St. Louis x2
Tampa Bay
Jacksonville x2
Seattle
this is a crime. I mean, like one that somebody should be prosecuted for. disturbing the peace or wreckless endangerment or attempted murder kinda prosecutions.
21
mizerle06 is mcintyred of all the trollin' Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:20 PM
I’M NOT SO CUTE AND CUDLY WITH ALL THIS WILDABEAST BLOOD ON MY FACE AM I!?
22
Gaseous Clay Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:30 PM
Speaking of THAT GUY, it’s wildebeest, not beast, and there’s really no way a Panda is getting his grubby paws on one o f those anyway, due to proximity issues.
23
Broccoli Beef Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:32 PM
I’M NOT SO CUTE AND CUDLY WITH ALL THIS WILDABEAST BLOOD ON MY FACE AM I!?
Yes you most certainly are Mr. Panda
24
Gaseous Clay Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:33 PM
But you guys probably gnu that already.
/I’m doing two shows in the Catskills this weekend
25
mizerle06 is mcintyred of all the trollin' Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:39 PM
it’s wildebeest, not beast, and there’s really no way a Panda is getting his grubby paws on one o f those anyway, due to proximity issues.
1. /doeasn’t give a shit
2. did you see the video of the panda eating the wildaebeaest?
26
volduck Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:41 PM
I have no credibility on this topic, since I’m on record here as actually LIKING Chucky and Jaws – nonetheless, I’m not really convinced that the announcing team has anything to do w/ratings. I think it’s all about the teams and how competitive the game appears to be.
27
Pastor of Muppets Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:43 PM
ESPN apparently tried to apply their NEXT philosophy to teams when picking the schedule this year.
28
Stop The Bus And Let My Brother Jack Off Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:49 PM
I have no credibility on this topic, since I’m on record here as actually LIKING Chucky and Jaws – nonetheless, I’m not really convinced that the announcing team has anything to do w/ratings. I think it’s all about the teams and how competitive the game appears to be.
See the Dennis Miller Experiement. His 4-bit words had a segment of the MNF-watching “folk” turning it off. Oh, and the the fact he is a complete dickbag.
29
fanaticsportsandcards Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 1:57 PM
MNF has definitely been a bust this year.
30
Milk Steak To Go Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:01 PM
Cincy, likely a playoff team this year, had 6 of 7 home games which have been played so far blacked out. What a pathetic fan base. I know they’ve had to deal with one of the worst, if not the worst, ownership groups in the NFL, but when the team is actually not bad, shut up and go to the games.
I don’t think you know just how bad the Brown family is. They just paid $200 million cash for the outstanding shares of the team, yet require Hamilton County to pay for a new scoreboard in the stadium Hamilton COunty built for the Bengals (after they threatened to leave). The cost of that stadium (paying interest on the bonds) literally requires schools in Hamilton County to forgo updating textbooks, facilties and other essentials of education – and the Brown family won’t amend the deal.
So just know the depths of suckitude that is the Brown family before you judge.
31
Wally's World Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:05 PM
MNF will now be TNF. Tebow Night Football. I guarantee the Broncos are on prime time at least 5 times next year.
/Will be hilarious when he isn’t the starter in October
32
Milk Steak To Go Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:08 PM
Here’s a link that explains just how bad the Brown family fleeced Cincy:
33
Milk Steak To Go Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:09 PM
34
Milk Steak To Go Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:10 PM
Link fail. Google “A Stadium’s Costly Legacy Throws Taxpayers for a Loss”
35
Wally's World Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:15 PM
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
/Nice effort, Rookie
36
Gaseous Clay Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:16 PM
that seems like a no fun thing to google. I googled Hermione Granger upskirt, instead.
37
Wally's World Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:20 PM
This is also more fun to use Google for. Check out #24 and #36 on the directions, specifically for amusement.
38
Wally's World Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:23 PM
Damn. Map didn’t work. I was afraid of that. Ask Google maps to go from Tokyo to San Francisco. It will give you some good directions in Japanese, then tell you to kayak to Hawaii. Again, it gives you directions through Oahu, then to kayak again to San Francisco.
/Too much damn explanation for something that was funny without explanation
39
Milk Steak To Go Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:29 PM
I’m going to ask Google maps about Hermione Granger upskirt.
40
Nick Jett Says:
December 30th, 2011 at 2:30 PM
I’m not understanding this negativity towards Jacksonville. They’ve at least been a usually competitive team, something that was expected with Garrard under center. That’s why it was puzzling- at least to me- why Del Rio cut him in a make-or-break year with the division up for grabs without Manning.
Rams and Chargers to L.A. Rams belong there- they were L.A.’s first team- and Chargers because it doesn’t look like they’ll get a new venue in SD and the league wants two teams there- one from each conference- and they don’t want to realign the divisions again.