Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The New York Giants' victory over the Dallas Cowboys on ESPN's Monday Night Football drew the biggest audience ever for a cable television program.

Yesterday's game was viewed in 11.8 million homes, edging out a 1993 trade debate between Vice President Al Gore and Ross Perot that aired on CNN's ``Larry King Live,'' according to Nielsen Media Research. The debate was seen in 11.2 million homes.

Monday Night Football has become one of the cable network's most important properties since moving to ESPN after 36 years on ABC, ESPN spokesman Dave Nagel said in an interview. ESPN, in the first year of an eight-year, $8.8 billion contract with the National Football League, has added NFL programming throughout the week, as well as before and after the game.

``Our agreement with the NFL directly impacts a number of our businesses, including our Web site,'' Nagel said. ``The show has become a huge promotional priority for ESPN.''

ESPN and ABC are both owned by Walt Disney Co.

The football game, which the Giants won, 36-22, was the second-most watched program of the night on all networks, according to the overnight ratings, which measure audience size in the 50 biggest television markets. CBS Corp.'s ``CSI: Miami'' was watched in 13 million homes.

Monday Night Football was watched by 16 million people, ESPN said. The show also has increased ESPN's Web site traffic by 60 to 70 percent, Nagel said.

Shares of Burbank, California-based Disney, the second- largest U.S. media company after Time Warner Inc., gained 10 cents to $31.38 as of 4:01 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. They have gained 31 percent this year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Janofsky in Los Angeles at mjanofsky@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: October 24, 2006 18:07 EDT