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ESPN Top 10 (and Select) Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 NFL REGULAR SEASON: N.Y. Giants @ Detroit Mon 6:55PM-10:13PM 198 8.4 13728
2 NFL REGULAR SEASON: San Diego @ Arizona Mon 10:13PM- 1:29AM 196 7.1 11515
3 NASCAR SPRINT CUP: Chicago Sun 2:00PM- 5:30PM 210 2.3 3711
4 SPORTSCENTER (live) Mon 1:29AM- 3:00AM 91 2.1 3017
5 COLLEGE FOOTBALL AFTERNOON: East Carolina vs. Virginia Tech Sat 12:00PM- 4:02PM 242 1.7 2563
6 NFL COUNTDOWN (live) Sun 10:00AM- 1:00PM 180 1.4 2166
7 COLLEGE GAMEDAY (live) Sat 9:00AM-12:00PM 180 1.3 1827
8 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: USC vs. Boston College Sat 8:00PM-11:33PM 213 1.1 1749
9 COLLEGE FOOTBALL AFTERNOON: Iowa State vs. Iowa Sat 4:02PM- 6:53PM 171 1.0 1656
9 NASCAR SPRINT CUP COUNTDOWN (live) Sun 1:00PM- 2:00PM 60 1.1 1656
12 MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN (live) Mon 5:00PM- 6:55PM 115 1.1 1597
15 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: Baylor vs. Buffalo Fri 7:57PM-11:21PM 204 0.9 1287
18 MLB SUNDAY NIGHT: N.Y. Yankees at Baltimore Sun 8:00PM-11:18PM 198 0.7 1117
19 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: Houston vs. BYU Thu 8:53PM-12:29AM 216 0.6 1048
32 FIBA WORLD BASKETBALL: Lithuania vs. USA Thu 2:58PM- 5:00PM 122 0.6 843
35 FIBA WORLD BASKETBALL: USA vs. Slovenia Tue 2:58PM- 5:00PM 122 0.6 824
43 WNBA PLAYOFFS: Chicago vs. Phoenix Tue 9:00PM-11:03PM 123 0.5 763
56 MLB: Kansas City at Detroit Wed 7:49PM-11:10PM 201 0.5 653
71 NFL MATCH-UP Sat 4:00AM- 4:30AM 30 0.4 539
73 MLB WED NIGHT – LATE: Arizona at San Francisco Wed 11:10PM- 1:25AM 135 0.4 517

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPN is up 44 percent (3.157 million vs. 2.198 million) from one week earlier and down 26 percent (3.157 million vs. 4.256 million) from the same week one year ago (September 9-15, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPN is up 50 percent (1.363 million vs. 911,000) from one week earlier and down 14 percent (1.363 million vs. 1.590 million) from the same week one year ago (September 9-15, 2013).

As the news broke on Sep. 8 of the infamous second video of now-former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice assaulting his then-fiance Janay Palmer in an Atlantic City casino elevator, here is how viewership tracked for ESPN’s coverage of the story throughout the day (in chronological order) on its various programs:

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
52 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Mon 9:00AM-10:00AM 60 0.5 717
60 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Mon 10:00AM-11:00AM 60 0.5 617
80 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Mon 11:00AM-12:01PM 61 0.4 484
63 SPORTSCENTER AM (live) Mon 12:01PM- 1:00PM 59 0.4 602
54 NFL PRIMETIME (live) Mon 1:00PM- 2:00PM 60 0.5 694
39 NFL INSIDERS (live) Mon 2:00PM- 3:00PM 60 0.6 797
25 NFL LIVE (live) Mon 3:00PM- 4:00PM 60 0.7 989
22 SPORTSCENTER AFTERNOON (live) Mon 4:00PM- 5:00PM 60 0.8 1024
12 MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN (live) Mon 5:00PM- 6:55PM 115 1.1 1597

ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” Sep. 8 doubleheader of New York Giants/Detroit Lions and San Diego Chargers/Arizona Cardinals averaged 12.627 million viewers — down 10 percent from the MNF doubleheader (Philadelphia/Washington and Houston/San Diego) of Sep. 9, 2013.

ESPN’s daily programs viewership averages for the week:

  • “NFL Insiders” (ESPN, Sep. 8, 10 & 12): 537,000
  • “NFL Live” (ESPN, Sep. 8, 10 & 12): 721,000
  • “Around the Horn” (ESPN, Sep. 9-12): 771,000
  • “Pardon the Interruption” (ESPN, Sep. 9, 11, 12): 1.17 million
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN, Sep. 9-14 early evening): 774,000
  • “SportsCenter” (ESPN, Sep. 8-14 late night): 1.306 million

ESPN2 Top 10 (and Select) Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: South Mississippi vs. Alabama Sat 6:14PM- 9:23PM 189 1.1 1784
2 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES: Chicago (Sept) Sat 3:30PM- 6:14PM 164 0.8 1241
3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: Rice vs. Texas A&M Sat 9:23PM-12:49AM 206 0.6 956
4 FIBA WORLD BASKETBALL: Serbia vs. USA Sun 2:55PM- 5:09PM 134 0.5 815
5 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD (live) Sat 3:20PM- 3:30PM 10 0.4 633
6 WNBA PLAYOFFS: Phoenix vs. Chicago Fri 8:00PM-10:24PM 144 0.4 602
7 FIRST TAKE (live) Mon 10:00AM-12:00PM 120 0.4 582
8 FANTASY SHOW (live) Sun 11:00AM- 1:00PM 120 0.4 549
9 FIRST TAKE (live) Tue 10:00AM-12:00PM 120 0.4 480
10 SPORTSCENTER PRIME (live) Mon 7:00PM- 8:00PM 60 0.3 472
11 COLLEGE FOOTBALL AFTERNOON (Various) Sat 12:01PM- 3:20PM 199 0.3 466
26 FIBA WORLD BASKETBALL: Serbia vs. France Fri 3:58PM- 6:00PM 122 0.2 330
28 OTL – FIRST REPORT (live) Mon 5:30PM- 6:00PM 30 0.3 326
40 OLBERMANN (live) Mon 5:00PM- 5:30PM 30 0.3 279
41 FIBA WORLD BASKETBALL: Spain vs. France Wed 4:00PM- 6:00PM 120 0.2 273
45 COLIN’S NEW FOOTBALL SHOW (new) Sun 9:00AM-10:00AM 60 0.2 265
48 SPORTS REPORTERS Sun 8:30AM- 9:00AM 30 0.2 262
69 OUTSIDE THE LINES-WEEKEND Sun 8:00AM- 8:30AM 30 0.2 231
85 MLB WED NIGHT – LATE: Arizona vs. San Francisco Wed 10:08PM-11:10PM 62 0.1 193
93 USA BASKETBALL WOMEN: Red vs. White Thu 7:00PM- 8:38PM 98 0.1 174
98 MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER: New York Red Bulls vs. DC United Wed 8:00PM-10:08PM 128 0.1 164
100 FIBA WORLD BASKETBALL: Brazil vs. Serbia Wed 11:58AM- 2:00PM 122 0.1 160
107 BASEBALL TONIGHT (new) Sun 7:00PM- 8:00PM 60 0.1 129
119 INTERNATIONAL SOCCER FRIENDLY: Mexico vs. Bolivia Tue 10:00PM-12:05AM 125 0.1 95
129 CITY SLAM Thu 9:00PM-10:00PM 60 0.1 87

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPN2 is down 45 percent (428,000 vs. 783,000) from one week earlier and down 32 percent (428,000 vs. 633,000) from the same week one year ago (September 9-15, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPN2 is down 20 percent (321,000 vs. 400,000) from one week earlier and down 5 percent (321,000 vs. 339,000) from the same week one year ago (September 9-15, 2013).

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

  • “Mike & Mike in the Morning” (ESPN2, Sep. 8-12): 275,000
  • “First Take” (ESPN2, Sep. 8-12): 459,000
  • “Numbers Never Lie” (ESPN2, Sep. 8-12): 295,000
  • “SportsNation” (ESPN2, Sep. 10 & 12): 241,000
  • “Olbermann” (ESPN2, Sep. 8-9 & 11): 252,000
  • “Outside the Lines” (ESPN2, Sep. 8-9 & 11): 239,000
  • “Baseball Tonight” (average of each day’s most-watched telecast): 158,000
  • “ESPN FC” (ESPN2, Sep. 8-12): 100,000

ESPNU Top 10 (and Select) Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: Louisiana-Monroe vs. LSU Sat 7:00PM-10:09PM 189 0.4 709
2 COLLEGE FOOTBALL AFTERNOON: Arkansas State vs. Miami(FL) Sat 3:54PM- 6:54PM 180 0.3 432
3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: Arizona State vs. Colorado Sat 10:09PM- 1:37AM 208 0.3 406
4 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: Toledo vs. Cincinnati Fri 7:00PM-10:34PM 214 0.3 394
5 COLLEGE FOOTBALL AFTERNOON: Indiana vs. Bowling Green Sat 12:00PM- 3:54PM 234 0.2 312
6 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD (live) Sat 6:54PM- 7:00PM 6 0.2 293
7 SPORTSCENTERU Sun 11:00AM-12:00PM 60 0.1 189
8 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD Sun 10:00AM-11:00AM 60 0.1 185
9 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Byrnes(SC) vs. De La Salle(CA) Fri 10:34PM- 1:35AM 181 0.1 179
10 SPORTSCENTERU (live) Sat 1:37AM- 2:37AM 60 0.1 153
13 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Bergen Catholic(NJ) vs. St. Peters(NJ) Thu 7:00PM- 9:35PM 155 0.1 144
45 CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVE (live) Mon 6:00PM- 7:00PM 60 0.0 49
73 DARI & MEL (live) Sat 9:00AM-10:00AM 60 0.0 32
98 WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER REGULAR SEASON: Princeton vs. Villanova Sun 4:00PM- 6:00PM 120 0.0 20
102 EDGE (live) Sat 11:00AM-12:00PM 60 0.0 19

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPNU is down 14 percent (195,000 vs. 226,000) from one week earlier and up 28 percent (195,000 vs. 152,000) from the same week one year ago (September 9-15, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPNU is down 27 percent (88,000 vs. 120,000) from one week earlier and up 13 percent (88,000 vs. 78,000) from the same week one year ago (September 9-15, 2013).

Viewership averages for the following ESPNU programs of the week:

  • “The Herd” (10 a.m.-1 p.m.): 55,000
  • “CFB Daily” (live editions): 46,000
  • “You Herd Me with Colin Cowherd” (afternoon): 36,000

ESPNEWS Top 10 (and Select) Programs

RANK PROGRAM DAY TIME DUR HH VWRS
(000)
1 PARDON THE INTERRUPTION Wed 5:30PM- 6:00PM 30 0.2 350
2 COLLEGE FOOTBALL AFTERNOON: Syracuse vs. Central Michigan Sat 12:00PM- 3:15PM 195 0.2 254
3 SPORTSCENTER AFTERNOON (live) Mon 5:00PM- 6:00PM 60 0.1 215
4 SPORTSCENTER MORNING Sat 5:00AM- 6:00AM 60 0.1 214
5 SPORTS REPORTERS Sun 9:30AM-10:00AM 30 0.1 202
6 PARDON THE INTERRUPTION Wed 7:30PM- 8:00PM 30 0.1 193
7 SPORTSCENTER PRIME (live) Wed 8:00PM- 9:00PM 60 0.1 190
8 COLLEGE FOOTBALL AFTERNOON: Mississippi State vs. South Alabama Sat 4:02PM- 7:19PM 197 0.1 185
9 HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE Mon 4:30PM- 5:00PM 30 0.1 182
10 SPORTSCENTER PRIME (live) Wed 9:00PM-11:05PM 125 0.1 176
46 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Byrnes(SC) vs. De La Salle(CA) Fri 10:15PM-10:35PM 20 0.1 87
85 COLLEGE FOOTBALL AFTERNOON: Arkansas State vs. Miami Sat 3:30PM- 4:02PM 32 0.0 55
93 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME: Navy vs. Texas State Sat 8:00PM-11:17PM 197 0.0 52

In total viewership for its entire week in Prime Time (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), ESPNEWS is down 29 percent (98,000 vs. 138,000) from one week earlier and down 1 percent (98,000 vs. 99,000) from the same week one year ago (September 9-15, 2013).

In total viewership for its entire week in Total Day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.), ESPNEWS is down 13 percent (69,000 vs. 79,000) from one week earlier and down 4 percent (69,000 vs. 72,000) from the same week one year ago (September 9-15, 2013).

For the week, ESPNEWS’s daily talkers “SVP & Russillo” averaged 58,000 viewers and “ESPN FC” averaged 86,000.

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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