• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025

ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Football’ Draws 16M Viewers In Week 5

  • Raiders-Chiefs generates MNF’s best Week 5 in 11 seasons.
  • Viewership up 39% from last year.
​Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Everything about ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” feels bigger this year. The broadcast booth of Troy Aikman and Joe Buck, who’ve called six Super Bowls. The more attractive game schedule. And most importantly for ESPN and its advertisers, the bigger TV ratings.

ESPN’s telecast of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 30-29 comeback victory over the Las Vegas Raiders averaged 15.9 million viewers, up 39% from last year. 

It was MNF’s best Week 5 performance since 2011 — and third-best since ESPN took over the MNF package in 2006. More on MNF’s rebound:

  • The audience for Raiders vs. Chiefs peaked at nearly 18 million viewers between 9:30-9:45 p.m. ET. The telecast helped ESPN win the night among both broadcast and cable networks. 
  • ESPN grabbed nearly 16 million viewers in Week 5 without the added jolt of the popular “ManningCast” on ESPN2. Peyton and Eli Manning will return in Week 7 with an alternative feed of the Chicago Bears at New England Patriots.
  • During Weeks 1 and 3, ESPN posted record audiences of 19.9 million and 19.4 million. The network’s Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants telecast in Week 3, for example, ranked as the fourth most-watched MNF game in ESPN’s 17-year MNF history, averaging 19.3 million viewers.

During the NFL’s crazy offseason of network announcer/analyst changes, ESPN made the biggest moves, luring Aikman and Buck away from rival Fox Sports, then pairing them with veteran sideline reporter Lisa Salters and officiating analyst John Parry.

ESPN paid through the nose, shelling out contracts that will pay Aikman-Buck a combined $165 million over the next five years.

But you could argue ESPN’s MNF broadcast booth has gone from worst to first compared to the top announce teams at Fox, CBS Sports, NBC Sports and Amazon Prime Video. 

The one-two punch of Aikman-Buck on ESPN, and Manning-Manning on ESPN2, has helped the network land a much better game schedule — and sets it up nicely to telecast its first two Super Bowls on ABC in coming years.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NFL’s Alternate Uniforms Fuel Big Business—and Lots of Nostalgia

The Commanders kick off a run of new NFL helmets and uniforms.

Browns $600M Stadium Deal Hit With Suit Over ‘Unclaimed’ Money

Ohio’s use of unclaimed funds for a new stadium is challenged legally.
Jun 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Mercedes driver George Russell (63) leads the second lap over Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) during the F1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.

Apple Vies With ESPN for U.S. Formula One Rights

ESPN’s rights agreement with F1 has been worth about $90 million annually.
exclusive

Fox Extends Erin Andrews, Charissa Thompson Contracts Ahead of NFL Season

Changes are coming at Fox, but Andrews and Thompson stay put.

Featured Today

Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.
July 6, 2025

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
Paige Bueckers
exclusive

Women’s March Madness Expansion Wouldn’t Yield More ESPN Money

ESPN is not required to pay extra if women’s March Madness expands.
Jul 6, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Mexico forward Marcel Ruiz (14) heads the ball in front of United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson (11) in the second half during the 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium.
July 7, 2025

USMNT Struggles Still Produce Big Gold Cup Ratings for Fox

The U.S. team’s recent issues culminated in a loss to Mexico.
Feb 7, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies center Tarris Reed Jr. (5) reacts after his basket against the St. John's Red Storm in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.
July 8, 2025

After Decade Apart, ESPN and Big East Rekindle Media Rights Relationship

After a decade-plus apart, the network will stream hundreds of conference events.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
July 2, 2025

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.
Leo Messi
June 27, 2025

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.