Ed Note: We’re pleased to welcome Douglas Pucci to Awful Announcing, who you might know better as Son of the Bronx. Douglas built an impressive database of public ratings for television networks that were an invaluable resource for those interested in the media world. At AA, he will have the Top 10 programs from each of the sports networks every week, as well as data trends in viewership.

ESPN Top 10 Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 WORLD CUP SOCCER: Belgium/U.S. Tue 3:00PM- 6:40PM 220 8.1 13440
2 SPORTSCENTER EARLY (live) Tue 6:40PM- 7:00PM 20 4.2 7129
3 WORLD CUP SOCCER: Brazil/Colombia Fri 3:30PM- 6:08PM 158 3.2 5683
4 WORLD CUP SOCCER: Netherlands/Costa Rica Sat 3:30PM- 7:00PM 210 3.1 5260
5 WORLD CUP SOCCER: Germany/Algeria Mon 3:30PM- 6:38PM 188 2.9 4306
6 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Tue 2:39PM- 3:00PM 21 2.4 3498
7 SPORTSCENTER EARLY (live) Mon 6:38PM- 7:00PM 22 2.1 3181
8 WORLD CUP SOCCER: Argentina/Switzerland Tue 11:30AM- 2:39PM 189 2.2 3173
9 WORLD CUP LIVE (live) Tue 7:00PM- 8:00PM 60 1.7 2729
10 WORLD CUP SOCCER: France/Nigeria Mon 11:30AM- 2:02PM 152 1.7 2527

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPN is down 57 percent (868,000 vs. 2.013 million) from one week earlier (when it had aired more World Cup coverage) and up 8 percent (868,000 vs. 804,000) from the same week one year ago (July 1-7, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPN is down 5 percent (1.347 million vs. 1.412 million) from one week earlier and up 98 percent (1.347 million vs. 682,000) from the same week one year ago (July 1-7, 2013).

Note: World Cup entries on the week’s list also include the network’s pre-match coverage at the start of each respective match telecast time window.

Despite Novak Djokovic’s 5-set victory over Roger Federer on July 6, the 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET telecast window for ESPN’s Wimbledon Men’s Final (2.375 million) drew 3 percent less viewers than last year’s same telecast window (2.456 million on July 7, 2013) when Andy Murray had defeated Djokovic for his historic Wimbledon title. On the day prior, the 6-hour-3-minute telecast window which featured the Women’s Final — Petra Kvitova’s 55-minute straight-sets victory over Eugenie Bouchard — averaged just 704,000 viewers – 46 percent less than last year’s final Saturday window (1.302 million on July 6, 2013) where Marion Bartoli defeated Sabine Lisicki for the Women’s title.

Hot dog! The annual “Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest” was televised live from noon to 1 p.m. on ESPNEWS (due to Wimbledon coverage on ESPN and the France/Germany World Cup match on ESPN2) and drew only 402,000 viewers. Its repeat 2:03-3:00 p.m. telecast on ESPN2, following France/Germany, however, produced the largest viewership ever for the contest on any network — 2.778 million total viewers and 1.401 million adults 18-49.

ESPN’s weekday afternoon talkers returned from their World Cup-induced hiatus to average for the week, in total viewers:

  • “Outside the Lines” (ESPN, July 2-3 at 3-3:30 p.m.): 277,000
  • “NFL Insiders” (ESPN, July 2-3 at 3:30-4 p.m.): 278,000
  • “NFL Live” (ESPN, July 2-3 at 4-5 p.m.): 407,000
  • “Around the Horn” (ESPN, July 2-3 at 5-5:30 p.m.): 608,000
  • “Pardon the Interruption” (ESPN, July 2-3 at 5:30-6 p.m.): 811,000

The July 6th MLS matchup between Kansas City and Chicago (3:00 p.m. – 5:05 p.m.) averaged 495,000 viewers — near 50 percent above the comparable game (which featured the same two teams) from one year ago (331,000 on July 7, 2013 3-5:09 p.m. ET).

Major League Baseball viewership figures for ESPN and ESPN2:

  • “Tampa Bay at N.Y. Yankees” (ESPN, June 30 at 7-11:47 p.m.): 1.173 million
  • “Chicago Cubs at Boston” (ESPN, July 2 at 7-11:32 p.m.): 798,000
  • “N.Y. Yankees at Minnesota” (ESPN2, July 4 at 3-6:29 p.m.): 825,000
  • “Tampa Bay at Detroit” (ESPN, July 4 at 7-10:27 p.m.): 811,000
  • “MLB All-Star Selection Show” (ESPN, July 6 at 7-8 p.m.): 1.173 million
  • “Sunday Night Baseball: Tampa Bay at Detroit” (ESPN, July 6 at 8-11:21 p.m.): 1.601 million

ESPN2 Top 10 Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 WORLD CUP SOCCER: France/Germany Fri 11:30AM- 2:03PM 153 2.5 4233
2 GREAT AMERICAN EVENTS: Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Fri 2:03PM- 3:00PM 57 1.6 2778
3 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES: Daytona (July) Fri 9:00PM-11:01PM 121 1.1 1758
4 NATIONWIDE RAIN DELAY (live) Fri 7:40PM- 9:00PM 80 0.8 1251
5 NATIONWIDE SERIES COUNTDOWN (live) Fri 7:00PM- 7:40PM 40 0.5 901
6 MLB HOLIDAY: N.Y. Yankees at Minnesota Fri 3:00PM- 6:29PM 209 0.6 825
7 GREAT AMERICAN EVENTS: Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Fri 6:29PM- 7:00PM 31 0.4 732
8 NHRA DRAG RACING: Summit Racing Equipment Nationals Sun 9:00PM-12:00AM 180 0.4 556
9 NBA STUDIO Tue 7:00PM- 8:00PM 60 0.3 505
10 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Fri 11:00AM-11:30AM 30 0.3 495

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPN2 (with World Cup match coverage) is up 16 percent (462,000 vs. 399,000) from one week earlier and up 97 percent (462,000 vs. 235,000) from the same week one year ago (July 1-7, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPN2 (with World Cup match coverage) is up 10 percent (345,000 vs. 315,000) from one week earlier and up 47 percent (345,000 vs. 234,000) from the same week one year ago (July 1-7, 2013).

WNBA viewership figures for ESPN2:

  • “Indiana at Atlanta” (ESPN2, July 2 at 8-10:25 p.m.): 232,000
  • “Chicago at Los Angeles” (ESPN2, July 2 at 10:25 p.m.-12:15 a.m.): 193,000 (114,000 on ESPNEWS 10:05-10:28 p.m.)
  • “Minnesota at New York” (ESPN2, July 6 at 2-4 p.m.): 274,000
  • “Phoenix at Los Angeles” (ESPN2, July 6 at 4-6:04 p.m.): 333,000

Additional ratings notes:

  • Boxing on July 2nd (9-11:13 p.m.) averaged 279,000 viewers.
  • The July 5th telecast of “Collegiate Arm Wrestling” (1-2 p.m.) averaged 204,000 viewers.
  • Canadian Football League: Saskatchewan/Toronto on ESPN2 Saturday, July 5 (3:00 p.m. – 5:53 p.m. ET) drew 222,000 viewers

ESPNU Top 10 Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 MIKE & MIKE IN THE MORNING (live) Mon 8:00AM-10:00AM 120 0.1 135
2 MIKE & MIKE IN THE MORNING (live) Tue 8:00AM-10:00AM 120 0.1 120
3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIVE Tue 11:30PM-12:00AM 30 0.1 103
4 MIKE & MIKE IN THE MORNING (live) Wed 7:00AM-10:00AM 180 0.1 91
5 COLLEGE TRACK & FIELD Thu 12:00AM- 2:00AM 120 0.1 89
6 COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIVE Tue 11:00PM-11:30PM 30 0.0 84
7 HERD (live) Tue 10:00AM-12:00PM 120 0.1 79
8 COLLEGE FISHING Sun 10:00AM-11:00AM 60 0.0 78
9 HERD (live) Wed 10:00AM- 1:00PM 180 0.1 76
10 ESPN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY Tue 6:00PM- 8:00PM 120 0.1 74
10 NCAA MEN’S VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT Fri 9:00PM-11:00PM 120 0.0 74

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPNU is down 4 percent (44,000 vs. 46,000) from one week earlier and down 27 percent (44,000 vs. 60,000) from the same week one year ago (July 1-7, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPNU is up 6 percent (36,000 vs. 34,000) from one week earlier and down 5 percent (36,000 vs. 38,000) from the same week one year ago (July 1-7, 2013).

ESPNEWS Top 10 Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 HOT DOG EATING CONTEST (live) Fri 12:00PM- 1:00PM 60 0.3 402
2 SPORTSCENTER PRIME (live) Thu 10:00PM-11:00PM 60 0.2 244
3 SPORTSCENTER PRIME (live) Mon 7:00PM- 8:00PM 60 0.2 227
4 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Wed 2:02PM- 3:00PM 58 0.2 223
5 SPORTSCENTER WEEKEND-PM (live) Sun 8:00PM- 9:00PM 60 0.1 201
6 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Tue 10:00AM-11:01AM 61 0.2 197
6 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Wed 1:00PM- 2:02PM 62 0.1 197
8 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Mon 11:00AM-11:30AM 30 0.2 195
9 SPORTSCENTER WEEKEND-PM (live) Sun 9:00PM-10:00PM 60 0.1 192
10 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Tue 11:01AM-11:30AM 29 0.2 190

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPNEWS (with SportsCenter from the World Cup) is up 9 percent (150,000 vs. 138,000) from one week earlier and up 38 percent (150,000 vs. 109,000) from the same week one year ago (July 1-7, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPNEWS is down 10 percent (91,000 vs. 101,000) from one week earlier and down 3 percent (91,000 vs. 94,000) from the same week one year ago (July 1-7, 2013).

Source: Nielsen Media Research

About Douglas Pucci

Douglas Pucci is a contributor to Programming Insider and blogger at Son of the Bronx.

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