More People Watched TNT's Crappy The Closer Spinoff Than Eagles-Patriots On Monday Night: TV Ratings, In Context

A weekly feature wherein we contextualize TV ratings for national sports broadcasts. Data via Nielsen and Sports Business Journal's John Ourand. Viewership numbers represent approximate number of persons tuned to a given program; ratings share refers to the percentage of all households using a television who are turned into that program.

Monday, Aug. 20: Monday Night Football; Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots, preseason (ESPN): 5.0 million viewers Major Crimes (TNT): 5.3 million viewers

Tuesday, Aug. 21: No highly rated sporting events

Wednesday, Aug. 22: No highly rated sporting events

Thursday, Aug. 23: NFL preseason football; Arizona Cardinals at Tennessee Titans (ESPN): 3.4 million viewers Burn Notice (USA): 5.0 million viewers

Friday, Aug. 24: NFL preseason football; Chicago Bears at New York Giants (CBS): 5.2 million viewers Jessie (Disney Channel): 4.4 million viewers

Saturday, Aug. 25: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol (ABC): 5.9 million viewers NFL preseason football; Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints (CBS): 5.1 million viewers Mexican soccer; Club Tijuana at Club América (Univision): 1.0 million viewers Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, rerun (NBC): 2.9 million viewers SpongeBob SquarePants, rerun (Nickelodeon): 3.2 million viewers

Sunday, Aug. 26: Sunday Night Football; Carolina Panthers at New York Jets, preseason (NBC): 9.8 million viewers True Blood, season finale (HBO): 5.0 million viewers