The Dallas Cowboys’ 31-14 win over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night set a new ESPN viewership record.
The Tampa wildcard game drew 31.2 million viewers, making it the largest NFL audience on ESPN and ABC since Super Bowl XL in 2006. It was the second most-watched non-Super Bowl game in Disney history and was the most-watched non-Super Bowl playoff game ever seen on the network.
The numbers are also up about 35% from ESPN’s wildcard game last year.
The game peaked towards the end of the first half with nearly 36.5 million viewers.
“This extraordinary number proves once again that live sport is second to none when it comes to attracting large audiences,” ESPN Chairman Jimy Pitaro said in a statement. “The success is also a clear reflection of how ESPN, in partnership with the NFL and our colleagues at Disney, can help attract fans, create expectations and expand our reach. Even without a dramatic ending, it was an extraordinarily memorable evening.”
Troy Aikman and Joe Buck are completing their freshman year at ESPN
While the record crowd is impressive, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise considering who played in the game.
Pitting “America’s Team” against Brady, who may have played his last NFL game, is sure to draw crowds – especially since it was the only game of the day.
However, it was a fitting end to Troy Aikman and Joe Buck’s season one in ESPN’s booth.
The longtime broadcast duo joined ESPN to kick off the season after a long run at Fox that gave the station a seasoned broadcast crew after years of struggling to get Monday Night Football up and running. The two were in their first playoff game for Disney while working with longtime part-time reporter Lisa Salters — who was calling her ninth postseason game for the company.
Overall, ESPN averaged 14.8 million viewers per game this season, the highest number since a wildcard game began airing in 2014-15.
The decision has obviously paid off. While ESPN won’t have an NFL game again until next fall, Aikman and Buck certainly ended their first season there on a high note.
Monday’s game between the Cowboys and the Buccaneers was the most-watched non-Super Bowl playoff game Disney has ever had. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
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