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Athens, GA (Dec 6, 2007) - The numbers are in and it is official: the ESPN Monday Night Football game between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens set a cable ratings record. The game broadcast displaced High School Musical 2 as the most watched cable show ever.

Multichannel News reports:

New England’s controversial, last-second 27-24 victory that kept its perfect record intact tackled 12.5 million households and 17.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research data, both cable records. The game, which was not decided until the final play, pulled a 13.0 household rating.

For its part, the Aug. 17 debut of High School Musical 2 registered a 10.2 household rating and attracted 17.2 million viewers.

On Dec. 3, ESPN outdelivered all broadcast and cable networks in primetime among households, viewers and all key male and adult demo groups -- males18 to 34,18 to 49 and 25 to 54, and persons 18 to 34, 18 to 49 and 25 to 54. According to officials, it marked the third time ESPN has won Monday night overal (sic) this season1 (sic); MNF has controlled the male demos during each of its game telecasts in 2007.

What is not being said is the fact that the Walt Disney Company, which owns both the Disney Channel and ESPN, is the real winner. Last summer, the High School Musical 2 premier displaced Monday Night Football from the top of the list. SO this can only mean one thing: look for Disney marketing and Hype of High School Musical 3 to be over the top. Let's just hope that it does not make the halftime show of the Super Bowl any time soon.