NFL Draft telecast latest example of ESPN’s live events’ ratings success

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of television’s death have been greatly exaggerated. Especially for major live events.

Like the ones ESPN airs.

In the past few months, many of ESPN’s premier properties increased viewership from years past. The most recent example was the 2017 NFL Draft, ESPN’s most watched since 2014.

“Compelling, important live events – like the top-shelf sports programming in our lineup – draw viewers to the screen in real time; it’s programming you don’t watch later,” said ESPN Senior Vice President, Media & Fan Intelligence, Artie Bulgrin. “Sports has become a bigger part of live TV viewing than ever before, and audience growth for these marquee events does not surprise me.”

Revisit some recent examples of ESPN live event ratings successes in this gallery.

NFL Draft: In the average minute, 6,924,000 viewers were watching Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft, up 7% from 2016. Both TV and streaming contributed to increases, as TV was up 6% and streaming was up 23%.

(L-R) Mel Kiper, Jon Gruden, Louis Riddick and Trey Wingo report from ESPN’s set for 2017 NFL Draft coverage in Philadelphia. (Allen Kee/ESPN Images)

Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin (L) greets SC anchor David Lloyd during ESPN’s 2017 NFL Draft coverage in Philadelphia. (Allen Kee/ESPN Images)

Matt Hasselbeck and Wendi Nix discuss the NFL Draft on the set of NFL Live. (Allen Kee ESPN Images)

NBA Playoffs: The total live audience for the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs was up 11% on ABC (to 5,542,000 viewers) and up 15% on ESPN (to 3,135,000), according to Nielsen. It was the most-watched first round on ABC since 2011 and the most-watched first round on ESPN since 2014.

MLB Opening Day: The total live audience for the prime-time matchup of the World Series champion Chicago Cubs and the St.Louis Cardinals was 3,707,000 people in the average minute, up 26% from last year (N.Y. Mets vs. Kansas City). Including streaming, the game ranks as the most-viewed Opening Night game on record for the ESPN networks.

Women’s Final Four: The three-game Women’s Final Four averaged a total live audience of 2,754,000 viewers across TV and streaming, up 18% from a year ago. This was the most-watched Women’s Final Four since 2014.

Men’s College Basketball Championship Week: Total Live Audience (TV + Streaming) was up 19% over last year, with an average minute audience of 728,000. Also, the TV audience alone was up 18%.

ESPN College Football: The three-game College Football Playoff on ESPN averaged a total live audience average of 22,230,000 viewers, up 9% from last season. ESPN’s presentation of the New Year’s Six generated an average total live audience of 13,955,000 viewers per game, up 16% from a year earlier.

ESPN/ABC NFL Wild Card: The total live audience for ESPN’s NFL Playoff game telecast (also simulcast on ABC) was 25,632,000 viewers, up 5% from a year ago. It was the fourth most-watched Saturday afternoon NFL Wild Card game in the last 16 years.

NBA on Christmas Day: The one NBA Christmas Day game without NFL competition, the noon ET game on ESPN, was up 16% from 2015 on TV (3.7 vs. 3.2 million viewers) and was the most-watched Christmas Day NBA game in that time slot since 2012. In addition, streaming was up 59%, making for a total live audience increase of 17%.

World Baseball Classic: Hispanic household ratings for the WBC were up 33% from the last event (2013), a 1.6.  Total audience across ESPN Deportes was up 59% from 2013 with an average minute audience of 103,613.