ESPN's Monday Night Football "Wins the Night" in Key Male and Adult Demos

ESPN Deportes' Highest Rating and Most-Watched NFL Game Ever

Last night, ESPN's Monday Night Football game � the Miami Dolphins' 31-27 victory over the New York Jets -- earned a 9.7 rating, representing an average of 9,656,000 households (13,137,000 viewers � P2+), the fifth most-viewed program on cable television in 2009.

The MNF game led all programs (broadcast or cable) in all key male demos, P18-34 and P18-49, and helped ESPN win the night among all networks (broadcast or cable) in all key male and adult demos.

For 2009, the six MNF telecasts represent cable's six biggest audiences in terms of both household impressions and total viewers. Through five weeks (six games) of the NFL season, ESPN's MNF is averaging an 11.1 rating and 11,015,000 households (15,254,000 P2+), up 19%, 21% and 21%, respectively, from last season.

On the night the NFL celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month, ESPN Deportes' Spanish-language coverage of Monday Night Football also delivered its highest rating and most-watched NFL game ever. The Jets-Dolphins delivered a 1.4 Hispanic rating and 68,000 Hispanic households, equaling the rating and edging the 65,000 Hispanic households from the season-opening Chargers-Raiders telecast (Sept. 14). For the season, MNF games on ESPN Deportes are averaging a 1.1 Hispanic rating (up 136% from last year).

ESPN.com had nearly 100 million page views to NFL content accessed via computers and mobile devices for Monday through Tuesday at noon -- up 38% from the comparable time period last year. Specifically, page views for the NFL section on computers and mobile were up 26% from last year. Additionally, ESPN.com streamed 3.2 million NFL related videos -- up 77% from last year.

NEXT WEEK ON MNF

ESPN's MNF returns next week (Oct. 19) with the San Diego Chargers hosting the undefeated Denver Broncos (5-0) in an AFC West and 50th Anniversary AFL Legacy game at 8:30 p.m. ET. ESPN's game around the game coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. with NFL Live and continues throughout the afternoon.