ESPN's 'Monday Night Football' Tackles Top Spot Among African-American Viewers

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

ESPN’s NFL Monday Night Football dominated African-American viewing for the week of Nov. 6 to Nov. 12 – one of four programs from the sports network to finish in the top 10, according to Nielsen. 

ESPN’s Nov. 6 coverage of the Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions game drew 1.7 million African-American viewers, topping all cable shows for the week. ESPN’s Nov. 11 Alabama–Mississippi State college football game finished 6th for the week, while its two Nov. 8 live NBA game telecasts finished in the 8th and 9th spot respectively, according to Nielsen.

Bravo’s Nov. 12 episode of Real Housewives Of Atlanta was second for the week, followed by VH1’s Nov. 6 Love And Hip Hop show and OWN’s Nov. 7 episode of If Loving You Is Wrong.

Bravo’s freshman series Xscape Still Kickin It finished fifth with its Nov. 12 episode. OWN’s Nov. 8 Queen Sugar show finished in 7th place, and TNT’s Nov. 9 NBA basketball telecast rounded out the top 10, according to Nielsen.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.