Six Times As Many People Watched A Rerun Of The Vampire Diaries As Watched MLS On ESPN2: Last Week’s 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, Sept. 17: Monday Night Football; Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons (ESPN): 15.5 million viewers The Voice (NBC): 13.6 million viewers

Tuesday, Sept. 18: No highly rated sporting events.

Wednesday, Sept. 19: No highly rated sporting events.

Thursday, Sept. 20: Thursday Night Football; New York Giants at Carolina Panthers (NFL Network): 7.0 million viewers The Big Bang Theory, season premiere (CBS): 9.3 million viewers MLS soccer; DC United at Philadelphia Union (ESPN2): 125,000 viewers The Vampire Diaries, rerun (CW): 786,000 viewers

Friday, Sept. 21: Mexican soccer; Leon at Peubla (TV Azteca): 194,000 viewers Mexican soccer; Tigres at Monarcas (TV Azteca): 182,000 viewers CSI: NY (CBS): 5.9 million viewers

Saturday, Sept. 22: NCAA football; Notre Dame at Michigan (NBC): 6.4 million viewers NCAA football; Clemson at Florida State (ABC): 4.8 million viewers NCAA football; LSU at Auburn (ESPN): 3.8 million viewers NCAA football; Arizona at Oregon (ESPN): 3.0 million viewers NCAA football: Kansas State at Oklahoma (FOX): 2.8 million viewers Spongebob Squarepants (Nickelodeon): 3.5 million viewers

Sunday, Sept. 23: Sunday Night Football; New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens (NBC): 21.2 million viewers NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire (ESPN): 3.5 million viewers MLS soccer; Portland Timbers at Real Salt Lake (NBCSN): 45,000 viewers ¡Mira Quien Baila! (Univision): 3.4 million viewers Primetime Emmy Awards (ABC): 13.2 million viewers