"MNF's" Dolphins-Saints Telecast Helps ESPN Win the Night among All Networks in Households and All Key Male and Adult Demos

Last night's Monday Night Football telecast - a New Orleans Saints' 38-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins - helped ESPN win the night among all networks - broadcast or cable - in households and all key male and adult demos. The MNF game ranked as the top telecast of the night across cable and broadcast in those same categories. ESPN and MNF ranked second for the night, among all networks and programs, respectively, in total viewers.

The Dolphins-Saints telecast earned an 8.6 US rating, representing an average of 9,945,000 households and 13,717,000 viewers (P2+), according to Nielsen. Coverage peaked from 9:30 -9:45 p.m. ET with a 10.4 US rating.

In Miami, the game delivered a 13.1 rating on ESPN and a 4.0 on WSFL-CW, for a combined 17.1 rating in the market. In New Orleans, the game delivered a 21.7 rating on ESPN and a 39.3 on WDSU-NBC, for a combined 61.0 rating in the market

The top 10 metered markets (in addition to the markets of the competing teams) were West Palm Beach (15.4), Sacramento (14.5), San Diego (14.0), Las Vegas (13.6), Norfolk (12.2), Richmond-Petersburg, Va. (12.2), Charlotte (12.1), Memphis (11.7), Nashville (11.6) and Seattle-Tacoma (11.5).

Through four weeks (five games), ESPN's MNF is averaging an 8.8 US rating, 10,201,000 households and 13,985,000 viewers in 2013, virtually even with the same period in 2012.

NFL on ESPN Digital Platforms

ESPN Digital Media's NFL content across all platforms - ESPN.com, mobile Web, apps and WatchESPN - through four Monday Night Football games so far this season have logged significant growth, generating an average minute audience of 592,000 during telecasts, an increase of 26 percent compared to the same time period last season. Specifically, last night's Dolphins vs. Saints game on WatchESPN logged 178,000 unique viewers, 12.6 million live minutes and an average minute audience of 62,000, up 88 percent, 130 percent and 117 percent respectively compared to a year ago. Season to date, Monday Night Football on WatchESPN is averaging 195,000 unique viewers (up 114 percent), 13.8 million live minutes (up 165 percent) and an average minute audience of 69,000 (up 170 percent) per game.

Additionally, season to date on Sundays, ESPN Digital Media's average minute audience across all platforms is 592,000, up 11 percent compared to the same time period the previous year. Other highlights:

· ESPN.com generated 2.3 million NFL video starts on Sunday alone, up 9 percent compared to the same day last year.

· Mobile apps logged the largest growth on Sunday, with the ScoreCenter app generating an average minute audience of 161,000 (up 58 percent) and 7.8 million unique visitors (up 14 percent) while the ESPN Fantasy Football app logged an average minute audience of 200,000 (up 117 percent) and 4.3 million unique visitors (up 80 percent).

This Week on MNF

ESPN's MNF returns this week on October 7 with another AFC East vs. NFC South matchup as Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons host Geno Smith and the New York Jets at 8:30 p.m.