TV Final Table Set

If you would like to ask about or request ratings for a program or event on these networks, please reach Douglas on Twitter @SonOfTheBronx.

Ratings News and Notes

  • This year’s third Sunday Night Baseball matchup between longstanding rivals St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs averaged 2.12 million viewers for ESPN on July 23. It’s the fifth time a Sunday night game has surpassed 2 million viewers this baseball season; four of those five games involved the defending champion Cubs.

  • The “NBA Summer League” championship of L.A. Lakers-Portland from Las Vegas, Nev. on July 17 concluded an impressive two-week turnout for ESPN. Its five-game telecasts averaged 783,000 viewers, up 112 percent from last year. The entire NBA Summer League on ESPN and ESPN2 averaged 437,000 viewers (25 games), up 51 percent from the 23 games in 2016 that averaged 290,000 viewers. This year’s coverage was buoyed by the presence of highly-touted Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball. (Source: Multichannel)

  • The final table at the “2017 World Series of Poker: Main Event” on ESPN and ESPN2 from July 20-22 — returning to the summer after a ten-year stint in early November (or late October) — averaged 615,000 viewers and 244,000 adults 18-49. It increased a bit in total viewers — +3 percent — but slightly decreased (-5 percent) among adults 18-49 from last year’s Main Event final table (Oct.
    30-Nov. 2, 2016: average of 597,000 viewers/256,000 adults 18-49).

  • Regional action of The Basketball Tournament on ESPN and ESPN2 from July 20-23 averaged 218,000 viewers and 138,000 adults 18-49, up 36 percent (in viewers) and up 40 percent (in adults 18-49) from the same weekend last year (July 21-23, 2016: average of 160,000 viewers/98,000 adults 18-48). This year’s coverage had four games on ESPN and eight games on ESPN2; last year’s had six on ESPN2 and two on ESPNU.

  • Of the approximate 13-14 million viewers who tuned in to O.J. Simpson’s parole hearing from Nevada across various networks on July 20, a combined 517,000 viewers watched it on ESPN and ESPN2.

espnlogo

ESPN Top 25 (and Select) Programs

ESPN ratings for July 17-23, 2017
Click on image grid for larger view

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPN is down -53 percent (777,000 vs. 1,640,000) from one week earlier and up +11 percent (777,000 vs. 698,000) from the same week one year ago (July 18-24, 2016).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPN is down -39 percent (349,000 vs. 650,000) from one week earlier and up +10 percent (349,000 vs. 364,000) from the same week one year ago (July 18-24, 2016).

ESPN’s daily programs viewership averages for the week:

  • “First Take” (ESPN, July 17-21 10 a.m.): 296,000 (170,000 adults 18-49)
  • “Outside the Lines: First Report” (ESPN, July 17-21): 361,000 (206,000 adults 18-49)
  • “NFL Live” (ESPN, July 17-19 & 21): 274,000 (148,000 adults 18-49)
  • “NBA: The Jump” (ESPN, July 17-19 & 21): 303,000 (162,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsNation” (ESPN, July 17-21): 326,000 (81,000 adults 18-49)
  • “Highly Questionable” (ESPN, July 17-21): 375,000 (210,000 adults 18-49)
  • “Around the Horn” (ESPN, July 17-21): 418,000 (211,000 adults 18-49)
  • “Pardon the Interruption” (ESPN, July 17-21): 641,000 (212,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN, July 17-21 7 a.m.): 230,000 (137,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN, July 17-21 8 a.m.): 237,000 (138,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN, July 17-21 9 a.m.): 267,000 (154,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN, July 17-21 6 p.m.): 395,000 (242,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN, July 19 & 21 11 p.m.): 359,000 (178,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN, July 17 midnight): 581,000 (328,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter at Night” (ESPN, July 17-21 1 a.m.): 342,000 (193,000 adults 18-49)

ESPN2

ESPN2 Top 25 (and Select) Programs

ESPN2 ratings for July 17-23, 2017
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In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPN2 is down -47 percent (198,000 vs. 374,000) from one week earlier and up +5 percent (198,000 vs. 188,000) from the same week one year ago (July 18-24, 2016).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPN2 is down -41 percent (123,000 vs. 209,000) from one week earlier and down -21 percent (123,000 vs. 156,000) from the same week one year ago (July 18-24, 2016).

ESPN2’s daily show viewership averages for the week:

  • “Mike & Mike in the Morning” (ESPN2, July 17-21): 130,000 (60,000 adults 18-49)
  • “Jalen & Jacoby” (ESPN2, July 17-19 & 21 afternoon): 111,000 (75,000 adults 18-49)
  • <!–

  • “Dan Le Batard Show (live)” (ESPN2, June 26-30): 76,000 (47,000 adults 18-49)
  • –>

  • “MLB Network’s Intentional Talk” (ESPN2, July 17-21): 61,000 (34,000 adults 18-49)
  • “College Football Live” (ESPN2, July 17-21 5 p.m.): 73,000 (36,000 adults 18-49)
  • <!–

  • “Nacion ESPN” (ESPN2, July 10 7-8 p.m.): 112,000 (43,000 adults 18-49)
  • –>

  • “ESPN FC” (ESPN2, July 17-19, 21 & 23): 57,000 (31,000 adults 18-49)
  • “Best of Mike & Mike in the Morning” (ESPN2, Late July 18-20 5 a.m.): 56,000 (27,000 adults 18-49)
  • “Outside the Lines: First Report” (ESPN2, July 20): 81,000 (32,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN2, July 17-21 10 a.m.): 112,000 (61,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN2, July 17-21 11 a.m.): 112,000 (54,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN2, July 18-19 & 21 11 p.m.): 96,000 (48,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN2, July 19 & 21 midnight): 123,000 (70,000 adults 18-49)
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN2, July 21 1 a.m.): 124,000 (65,000 adults 18-49)

ESPNU

ESPNU Top 25 (and Select) Programs

ESPNU ratings for July 17-23, 2017
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In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPNU is up +19 percent (69,000 vs. 58,000) from one week earlier and up +35 percent (69,000 vs. 51,000) from the same week one year ago (July 18-24, 2016).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPNU is up +3 percent (36,000 vs. 35,000) from one week earlier and up +3 percent (36,000 vs. 35,000) from the same week one year ago (July 18-24, 2016).

ESPNU’s daily show viewership averages for the week:

  • “Dan Le Batard Show” (ESPNU, July 17-21): 21,000 (12,000 adults 18-49)

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

About Douglas Pucci

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