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ESPN Averages 25.4 Million Viewers for Vikings-Rams Wild Card Game

During the first half of the game, which spanned 8:15 to 9:45 p.m. EST, viewership of the game averaged 28.3 million viewers.

The Wild Card round matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles averaged 25.4 million viewers on Disney networks as the Monday Night Football team broadcast the game on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. Data from Nielsen Media Research demonstrates that the audience peaked at 30.1 million viewers in the 9:15 to 9:30 p.m. EST quarter-hour as the Rams were about to extend their lead to 24-3 ahead of halftime. During the first half of the game, which spanned 8:15 to 9:45 p.m. EST, viewership of the game averaged 28.3 million viewers. The game was moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. in the “interest of public safety” due to wildfires in Los Angeles.

The broadcast of the Wild Card game was down 13% from the ESPN presentation of the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tilt last year, which averaged 29.18 million viewers and was the second most-watched ESPN playoff game in history at the time. The six Wild Card games as a whole are said to have averaged 27.8 million viewers according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data divulged by Sportico. This is representative of an 8% year-over-year decline after the games last season averaged 30.2 million viewers.

Play-by-play announcer Joe Buck, analyst Troy Aikman and sideline reporters Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge were part of the game broadcast on Monday night. ESPN/ABC will broadcast the first matchup of the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs when the Houston Texans face the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 4:30 p.m. EST. The game will emanate from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. as the Chiefs look to become the first team in NFL history to secure three consecutive Super Bowl championships.

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The Walt Disney Company is on the verge of completing its second season under a 10-year media rights deal reportedly worth $2.7 billion annually. Disney will broadcast the Super Bowl championship on ABC/ESPN to conclude the 2026 and 2030 seasons, marking the first time an agreement has included such rights. The Monday Night Football broadcast property averaged 15 million viewers per game during the 2024 regular season, marking the second-highest viewership of the prime time presentation in the past 24 years.

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