Donald Trump’s fears that the presidential debate schedule was “rigged” because some debates coincided with NFL games were apparently unfounded.
Monday’s debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton was the most-watched presidential debate ever, while Monday Night Football suffered what were potentially the lowest ratings in its 47-year history, according to USA Today.
The game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints drew a 5.7 overnight rating, according to USA Today. Previously, the lowest reported overnight rating for a Monday Night Football game was a 5.8 for a game between the Denver Broncos and the San Diego Chargers on Christmas Eve 2007.
It’s not clear if the Falcons-Saints game will take the cake for the lowest overall ratings for Monday Night Football. The final rating will be adjusted as more information is released by the end of the day Tuesday, according to USA Today.
Trump previously made a stink about the timing of the presidential debates, saying that Hillary Clinton and the Democrats were rigging the debates by having them take place at the same time as two NFL games. The debate schedule is set far in advance of the NFL schedule and is controlled by the Commission on Presidential Debates, however, not by any political party.
As usual, Hillary & the Dems are trying to rig the debates so 2 are up against major NFL games. Same as last time w/ Bernie. Unacceptable!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2016
It looks like most viewers, like me, found Monday Night Goofball for compelling than Monday Night Football.
Now if the debate had been scheduled opposite a NASCAR race, Donnie may have had a point.
…and yet today he takes ‘credit’ for being MORE watchable than the NFL.
Of course people watched the debates. Everyone wanted to see the Trumplosion.
It was the Falcons and the Saints for cryin’ out loud. Outside of seeing a gang fight in a cemetery, what red-blooded American would pass up a chance to see The Creamsicle get the hide whipped off his ass in slow motion?