How to Stream ESPN on Sling: Watch ‘Monday Night Football,’ College Football and More for $19.99 a Month
Just as the fall sports calendar starts heating up, watching ESPN directly is about to get a little more expensive. Beginning Sept. 17, ESPN is raising the price of its standalone ESPN Unlimited plan from $29.99 to $31.99 per month, while its annual subscription jumps from $299.99 to $319.99. The lower-cost ESPN Select tier is […]
ESPN claimed victory in Week 1 of the NFL's 2026 season, boasting the highest average viewership for its Monday Night Football (MNFP) debut ever. The network's average of 23.2 million viewers for the Chiefs' convincing victory over the Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium outpaced the 2025 season's Vikings-Bears MNF opener by 5%. This marks the most-watched MNF Week 1 in ESPN's 20-year history with the program, and the third-most-watched MNF game out of 362 broadcasts during ESPN's tenure.
The success was particularly notable as it came after a mixed start to the NFL season, with competitors like NBC Sports, Netflix, CBS, and Fox experiencing varying viewer declines or flat results. Notably, CBS and Fox faced a unique situation with a "double-doubleheader" split across Sunday afternoon windows, unlike last year's CBS-only late-afternoon national slot.
Looking ahead, the narrative for NFL viewership will pivot to Week 2, featuring high-profile matchups like Amazon's Thursday Night Football launch, Mahomes' return with the Chiefs against the Colts, and the Giants facing the Rams in Los Angeles.
Written by urgent.news from Front Office Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- ESPN Gets Its Biggest Week 1 ‘Monday Night Football’ Audience Ever frontofficesports.com
