ESPN Top 10 Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 2014 GILLETTE HOME RUN DERBY (live) Mon 9:03PM-11:59PM 176 3.4 5402
2 BASEBALL RAIN DELAY (live) Mon 8:00PM- 9:03PM 63 2.5 4035
3 GOLF: OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Final Round (live) Sun 8:00AM- 2:04PM 364 2.3 3299
4 MLB SUNDAY NIGHT: L.A. Dodgers/St. Louis Sun 8:00PM-11:36PM 216 1.5 2322
5 ESPY AWARDS (live) Wed 9:00PM-11:42PM 162 1.4 2205
6 SOFTBALL: All-Star Legends and Celebrity Game Mon 11:59PM- 1:00AM 61 1.1 1635
7 GOLF: OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: 3rd Round (live) Sat 6:00AM-11:09AM 309 1.2 1558
8 GOLF: OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: 2nd Round (live) Fri 7:03AM- 3:00PM 477 1.1 1436
9 SPORTSCENTER WEEKEND-PM (live) Sun 2:04PM- 2:30PM 26 0.9 1391
10 GOLF: OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: 3rd Round Sat 11:09AM-12:33PM 84 0.9 1272

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPN (with Home Run Derby and ESPYs) is up 99 percent (1.638 million vs. 822,000) from one week earlier and down 14 percent (1.638 million vs. 1.898 million) from the same week one year ago (July 15-21, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPN is up 8 percent (915,000 vs. 850,000) from one week earlier and down 20 percent (915,000 vs. 1.149 million) from the same week one year ago (July 15-21, 2013).

While ESPN’s “2014 Gillette Home Run Derby” (5.402 million) was the most-watched telecast of all of cable for the week of July 14-20, the event was 19 percent below last year’s Derby (6.651 million). Its lead-out, the annual “All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game,” (1.635 million) fell 25 percent from year-ago levels (2.179 million) although the 2014 event aired at 52 minutes later than the 2013 game (11:07 p.m. on July 15, 2013).

The per-minute average of ESPN’s entire coverage of golf’s “Open Championship” (a.k.a. “British Open”) was 1.5 million viewers — down 28 percent from the event in the year prior (2.089 million). Comparatively with championship final Sunday telecast windows, Rory McIlroy’s victory (3.299 million, 8 a.m.-2:04 p.m.) was about a quarter below Phil Mickelson’s win (4.372 million, 7:56 a.m.-1:35 p.m.) on July 21, 2013. More recent golf ratings information were also posted at Awful Announcing earlier this week.

“The 2014 ESPYs”, hosted by rapper Drake, combined for 2.559 million viewers on ESPN and ESPN2, up 13 percent from last year (2.269 million) when it had only aired on ESPN.

“NHRA Drag Racing: Mopar Points Mile High Nationals” on July 20 (2:30-6:31 p.m.) averaged 1.031 million total viewers, 320,000 adults 18-49 and a 0.7 household rating.

“The 2014 WNBA All-Star Game” on July 19 (3:30 p.m.-5:47 p.m.) earned a 0.3 household rating and 475,000 viewers — while down 40 percent in viewership from last year’s All-Star Game (791,000), the July 27, 2013 exhibition had aired on the ABC broadcast network.

ESPN’s weekday afternoon talkers’ viewership averages for the week:

  • “NFL Insiders” (ESPN, July 14-16 at 3-4 p.m.): 333,000
  • “NFL Live” (ESPN, July 14-16 at 4-5 p.m.): 408,000
  • “Around the Horn” (ESPN, July 14-16 at 5-5:30 p.m.): 551,000
  • “Pardon the Interruption” (ESPN, July 14-16 at 5:30-6 p.m.): 863,000

ESPN2 Top 10 Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES: Chicago (July) Sat 8:30PM-11:06PM 156 0.9 1483
2 NATIONWIDE SERIES COUNTDOWN: Chicago (live) Sat 8:11PM- 8:30PM 19 0.5 677
3 NHRA QUALIFYING: Mopar Points Mile High Nationals Sat 11:06PM- 1:01AM 115 0.3 513
4 PARDON THE INTERRUPTION Thu 5:30PM- 6:00PM 30 0.4 484
5 BOXING SERIES (live) Fri 8:00PM-10:00PM 120 0.3 441
6 FIRST TAKE (live) Wed 10:00AM-12:00PM 120 0.3 366
7 ESPN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY Sun 10:00PM-11:30PM 90 0.2 361
8 FIRST TAKE (live) Mon 10:00AM-12:00PM 120 0.3 357
9 ESPY AWARDS (live) Wed 9:00PM-11:42PM 162 0.2 354
10 AROUND THE HORN Thu 5:00PM- 5:30PM 30 0.3 333

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPN2 is up 63 percent (423,000 vs. 260,000) from one week earlier and up 73 percent (423,000 vs. 244,000) from the same week one year ago (July 15-21, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPN2 is down 1 percent (217,000 vs. 219,000) from one week earlier and up 6 percent (217,000 vs. 205,000) from the same week one year ago (July 15-21, 2013).

ESPN2’s daily talkers’ viewership averages for the week:

  • “Mike & Mike in the Morning” (ESPN2, July 14-16 at 6-10 a.m.): 171,000
  • “First Take” (ESPN2, July 14-16 at 10 a.m.-noon): 348,000
  • “Numbers Never Lie” (ESPN2, July 14-16 at noon-1 p.m.): 258,000
  • “SportsNation” (ESPN2, July 14-15 at 3-4 p.m.): 233,000
  • “Highly Questionable” (ESPN2, July 14-15 at 4-4:30 p.m.): 231,000
  • “You Herd Me with Colin Cowherd” (ESPN2, July 14-15 at 4:30-5 p.m.): 140,000
  • “College Football Live” (ESPN2, July 14-15 & 18 at 5-5:30 p.m.): 146,000
  • “Outside the Lines” (ESPN2, July 14-15 & 18 at 5:30-6 p.m.): 121,000
  • “Olbermann” (ESPN2, July 14-15 & 17-18 at various): 120,000

ESPN2’s viewership for Major League Soccer (MLS) matches for the week included:

  • “Philadelphia/New York” (ESPN2, July 16 6:55-9 p.m.): 253,000 total/163,000 adults 18-49, 0.2 household rating
  • “Seattle/Tottenham” (ESPN2, July 19 4-6:07 p.m.): 262,000 total/135,000 adults 18-49, 0.2 household rating
  • “Kansas City/Los Angeles” (ESPN2, July 19 6:07-8:11 p.m.): 256,000 total/137,000 adults 18-49, 0.2 household rating

For ESPN2’s Tuesday, July 15 WNBA doubleheader, Los Angeles/Indiana (8:00 p.m. – 10:02 p.m. ET) drew 164,000 viewers (0.1 household rating) and Washington/Phoenix (10:02 p.m. – 12 a.m. ET) drew 172,000 viewers (0.1 household rating).

There were two Canadian Football League games on ESPN2 for the week: Edmonton/Winnipeg on Thursday, July 17 (8:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. ET) drew 238,000 viewers (0.2 household rating) and Hamilton/Calgary on Friday, July 18 (10:00 p.m. – 1:03 a.m. ET) drew 134,000 viewers (0.1 household rating).

National Women’s Soccer League’s Boston Breakers at Portland Thorns FC on July 20 (5-7 p.m.) drew a 0.1 household rating and 177,000 viewers.

ESPNU Top 10 Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 AMATEUR LACROSSE (live) Sat 9:00PM-11:17PM 137 0.1 193
2 AMATEUR LACROSSE (live) Tue 8:42PM-10:46PM 124 0.0 102
3 ESPN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY Sun 5:07PM- 7:07PM 120 0.1 94
4 COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIVE Tue 4:00PM- 4:30PM 30 0.1 84
5 AMATEUR LACROSSE (live) Thu 9:30PM-11:38PM 128 0.0 78
6 COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIVE Tue 7:00PM- 7:30PM 30 0.0 77
7 COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIVE Thu 3:30PM- 4:00PM 30 0.0 75
8 ESPN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY Thu 4:30PM- 6:00PM 90 0.0 69
9 COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIVE Mon 5:41PM- 6:11PM 30 0.0 63
9 HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL Sun 7:07PM- 8:30PM 83 0.0 63

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPNU is down 22 percent (60,000 vs. 77,000) from one week earlier and down 13 percent (60,000 vs. 69,000) from the same week one year ago (July 15-21, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPNU is down 6 percent (33,000 vs. 35,000) from one week earlier and down 28 percent (33,000 vs. 46,000) from the same week one year ago (July 15-21, 2013).

ESPNEWS Top 10 Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 SPORTSCENTER PRIME (live) Thu 9:00PM-10:00PM 60 0.1 180
2 SPORTSCENTER PRIME (live) Thu 8:00PM- 9:00PM 60 0.1 162
3 SPORTSCENTER PRIME (live) Thu 10:00PM-11:00PM 60 0.1 160
4 OUTSIDE THE LINES-WEEKEND Sun 11:00AM-11:30AM 30 0.1 145
5 SPORTS REPORTERS Sun 10:30AM-11:00AM 30 0.1 140
6 SPORTSCENTER AFTERNOON (live) Fri 5:00PM- 6:00PM 60 0.1 135
7 SPORTSCENTER TOP 10 Sat 5:40PM- 6:00PM 20 0.1 132
8 SPORTSCENTER AFTERNOON (live) Fri 4:01PM- 5:00PM 59 0.1 126
8 SPORTSCENTER WEEKEND-PM (live) Sun 5:00PM- 6:00PM 60 0.1 126
10 SPORTSCENTER EARLY (live) Sun 6:00PM- 6:30PM 30 0.1 122

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPNEWS is down 50 percent (95,000 vs. 191,000) from one week earlier and up 10 percent (95,000 vs. 86,000) from the same week one year ago (July 15-21, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPNEWS is down 30 percent (57,000 vs. 82,000) from one week earlier and up 2 percent (57,000 vs. 56,000) from the same week one year ago (July 15-21, 2013).

Source: Nielsen Media Research

About Douglas Pucci

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