Amidst a declining number of its households, the ESPN flagship network was still able to see year-to-year viewer gains in 2017; up 0.5 percent in total day and up 6 percent in prime time, thanks to growth from “Sunday Night Baseball” and its NBA coverage (including Summer League). But the positives did not extend to its other networks, ESPN2 and ESPNU, as each experienced double-digit declines in all key figures.
FS1 continued to narrow the gap with ESPN2 — a margin of just 10,000 viewers — to be television’s second most-watched cable sports network, buoyed by its MLB postseason coverage (Yankees-Astros in ALCS Game 7 from 10/21/17 as the network’s all-time most-watched telecast to-date) and the gradual ascent of its weekday studio show programs like “Undisputed” and “Speak for Yourself.” FS1 was the second most-watched cable sports network in prime time.
The 2017 year for baseball overall — the aftermath of the Chicago Cubs’ historic world championship run in 2016, the Houston Astros having earned its first-ever world title and an offseason that included the New York Yankees acquiring Giancarlo Stanton — helped MLB Network to be the lone league-centric sports network to see increases both in total day and in prime time viewership. The wild Yankees-Indians ALDS Game 2 from October and the United States’ World Baseball Classic title championship from March made up MLBN’s two of their three most-watched telecasts in its history.
Percentages compared to Dec. 28, 2015-Dec. 25, 2016
Prime Time (Mon-Sat 8-11 p.m., Sun 7-11 p.m.)
ESPN
Viewers: 2.006 million (+6%)
Adults 18-49: 833,000 (+4%)
Adults 18-34: 386,000 (+3%)
Adults 25-54: 871,000 (+4%)
ESPN2
Viewers: 335,000 (-4%)
Adults 18-49: 123,000 (-7%)
Adults 18-34: 55,000 (-7%)
Adults 25-54: 133,000 (-5%)
ESPNU
Viewers: 88,000 (-10%)
Adults 18-49: 30,000 (-14%)
Adults 18-34: 12,000 (-14%)
Adults 25-54: 33,000 (-13%)
NBCSN
Viewers: 321,000 (-18%)
Adults 18-49: 123,000 (-23%)
Adults 18-34: 56,000 (-18%)
Adults 25-54: 141,000 (-19%)
The latest
Viewers: 443,000 (-6%)
Adults 18-49: 160,000 (-16%)
Adults 18-34: 65,000 (-20%)
Adults 25-54: 182,000 (-13%)
FS2
Viewers: 37,000 (+12%)
Adults 18-49: 14,000 (+17%)
Adults 18-34: 5,000 (0%)
Adults 25-54: 16,000 (+14%)
NFL Network
Viewers: 347,000 (-3%)
Adults 18-49: 153,000 (-9%)
Adults 18-34: 63,000 (-13%)
Adults 25-54: 170,000 (-8%)
MLB Network
Viewers: 155,000 (+7%)
Adults 18-49: 51,000 (+4%)
Adults 18-34: 20,000 (+5%)
Adults 25-54: 57,000 (+8%)
Golf Channel
Viewers: 125,000 (-2%)
Adults 18-49: 29,000 (-6%)
Adults 18-34: 10,000 (-23%)
Adults 25-54: 36,000 (-8%)
NBA TV
Viewers: 116,000 (-2%)
Adults 18-49: 53,000 (-2%)
Adults 18-34: 26,000 (-7%)
Adults 25-54: 52,000 (-2%)
Tennis Channel
Viewers: 44,000
Adults 18-49: 10,000
Adults 18-34: 3,000
Adults 25-54: 14,000
Total Day (Mon-Sun 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
ESPN
Viewers: 820,000 (+0.5%)
Adults 18-49: 383,000 (-3%)
Adults 18-34: 188,000 (-3%)
Adults 25-54: 386,000 (-2%)
ESPN2
Viewers: 195,000 (-20%)
Adults 18-49: 86,000 (-25%)
Adults 18-34: 40,000 (-25%)
Adults 25-54: 89,000 (-25%)
ESPNU
Viewers: 47,000 (-10%)
Adults 18-49: 18,000 (-14%)
Adults 18-34: 8,000 (-11%)
Adults 25-54: 19,000 (-10%)
NBCSN
Viewers: 141,000 (-18%)
Adults 18-49: 50,000 (-25%)
Adults 18-34: 21,000 (-25%)
Adults 25-54: 59,000 (-19%)
FS1
Viewers: 185,000 (+2%)
Adults 18-49: 69,000 (-1%)
Adults 18-34: 29,000 (-3%)
Adults 25-54: 77,000 (0%)
FS2
Viewers: 24,000 (+14%)
Adults 18-49: 9,000 (+13%)
Adults 18-34: 3,000 (0%)
Adults 25-54: 11,000 (+22%)
NFL Network
Viewers: 161,000 (+1%)
Adults 18-49: 75,000 (-3%)
Adults 18-34: 32,000 (-3%)
Adults 25-54: 82,000 (-2%)
MLB Network
Viewers: 81,000 (+3%)
Adults 18-49: 27,000 (-7%)
Adults 18-34: 10,000 (-17%)
Adults 25-54: 30,000 (0%)
Golf Channel
Viewers: 103,000 (-5%)
Adults 18-49: 22,000 (-12%)
Adults 18-34: 8,000 (-27%)
Adults 25-54: 26,000 (-13%)
NBA TV
Viewers: 54,000 (-4%)
Adults 18-49: 27,000 (0%)
Adults 18-34: 14,000 (0%)
Adults 25-54: 25,000 (0%)
Tennis Channel
Viewers: 30,000
Adults 18-49: 6,000
Adults 18-34: 2,000
Adults 25-54: 9,000
Source: Live+Seven Day data for Dec. 26, 2016 thru Dec. 31, 2017, Nielsen Media Research.
