It has been a "rough early season" for "MNF" ratings on ESPN, and it is about to get tougher with the "first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump running smack" into tonight's Falcons-Saints telecast, according to Richard Deitsch of SI.com. ESPN Exec VP/Programming & Scheduling Burke Magnus said, "It's going to be a rough night. The interest in this debate is going to be beyond anything we have ever seen before. We are bracing for a significant impact." Deitsch: "Given the intensity of this Election cycle, I think Monday’s night debate will draw 75 million viewers, which would make it the most-watched program of the year after the Super Bowl" (SI.com, 9/25). THE MMQB's Peter King notes it is expected the "Trump Factor" of the debate will help it "obliterate Falcons-Saints." TV experts believe the ratings for the debate could be "eight times higher than the football game" (MMQB.SI.com, 9/26). In N.Y., Michael Grynbaum cited network execs and political strategists as predicting tonight's debate audience "could be as high as 100 million viewers," putting it in "Super Bowl territory" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/25). ESPN has aired 173 "MNF" games heading into tonight. Below are the smallest audiences for "MNF" since the network acquired TV rights prior to the '06 season (THE DAILY).
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SMALLEST AUDIENCES FOR "MNF" SINCE ESPN ACQUIRED RIGHTS
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DATE
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WEEK
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MATCHUP
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RATING
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VIEWERS (000)
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12/10/07
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14
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Saints-Falcons
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5.8
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8,449
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10/15/07
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6
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Giants-Falcons
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5.7
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8,480
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9/10/07
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1
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Cardinals-49ers
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5.9
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8,500
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12/24/07
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16
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Broncos-Chargers
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5.1
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8,767
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12/1/08
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13
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Jaguars-Texans
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5.9
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8,897
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BAR RESCUE: In N.Y., Richard Morgan noted football is "taking a backseat to politics on the Monday night bar scene" in Manhattan. Establishments like Pourhouse and e's Bar on the Upper West Side will be "switching off ESPN -- at least during" the first debate's 9:00-10:30pm ET time slot. But some N.Y. bars are "sticking with football -- because there's less potential for violence." That also will be the case for fans at many Atlanta and New Orleans bars. The manager at Atlanta-based Hudson Grille said, "It's a Falcon game, so we're definitely sticking with that" (
N.Y. POST, 9/24).
CAN'T KEEP HIM AWAY: In N.Y., Bob Raissman noted Patriots QB Tom Brady has spent part of his current suspension with sportscaster Jim Gray on Westwood One radio's "MNF" pregrame and halftime shows, "just as he has for the past five seasons." Raissman: "In the vast NFL landscape, and maybe all sports media, this is an undervalued property." While interviewing Brady, Gray "doesn't gloss over controversy." Gray: "I've always told Tom 'this has got to be real. We’re doing a show here. I’m going to ask you all these questions and we’re just going to do it.' And Tom's like, 'okay, great -- go right ahead'" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/25).
