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
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