TV Ratings: ESPN Sees Overall Viewership Success in June

In June, ESPN grew its audience average 12 percent year over year during the daily 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET window contributing to a 24-hour year-over-year increase of 5 percent overall to 518,000 households and leading cable among young men.

ESPN led full-time cable networks among viewers and men 18-34 (for at least the 20th consecutive June), 18-49 and 25-54. In prime time, ESPN averaged just over a million viewers and was best among men 18-49 and men 25-54.

For the quarter, ESPN topped all full-time cable networks among viewers 18-34, men 18-34 (for at least the 20th straight quarter), men 18-49 and men 25-54.

“ESPN’s studio programming led by SportsCenter continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of sports fans,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president & executive editor, production. “The double-digit, annual growth in June during the 7 a.m.-7 p.m. period truly speaks to the relevance, versatility and success of our studio show lineup.”

ESPN Studio Shows

ESPN’s morning studio show lineup saw another month of year-over year growth in June with multiple wins across key cable demographics. Get Up continued its monthly viewership success with a 21 percent increase over the comparable 8-10 a.m. time slot in 2018. The 7 a.m. edition of SportsCenterwas up nine percent in June from the comparable one-hour window last year, according to Nielsen.

June marked the fourth consecutive month of annual increases for both shows which combined to drive ESPN to cable wins across multiple demographics including viewers 18-49. For the second quarter of 2019, Get Up and the 7 a.m. SportsCenter saw 24 percent and 14 percent yearly viewership increases, respectively.

First Take experienced its third straight month of year-over-year viewership growth, up six percent over 2018. The noon SportsCenter also climbed 10 percent in June over the comparable 12-1 p.m. window in 2018.

The two shows combined led ESPN to cable wins across all key male demos from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. First Take saw a five percent yearly increase for the second quarter with the noon edition of SportsCenter climbing three percent for the timeframe. From 10 a.m.-noon, driven by First Take, ESPN remains the top network (cable or broadcast) among the men 18-34 demographic for the seventh consecutive month.

The success continued across ESPN’s news and information programming with Outside the Lines seeing multiple areas of annual viewership growth including nine percent for June and three percent for the quarter. The 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter continued the trend with a four percent and one percent increase for the month and quarter, respectively. SportsCenter’s weekend morning editions also combined for a nine percent annual increase in June and three percent growth for the quarter.

Pardon the Interruption enjoyed its third consecutive month of viewership growth, seeing a 10 percent increase in June. Leading off the 5-6 p.m. window, Around the Horn saw a year-over-year increase of seven percent. Pardon the Interruption was up eight percent for the quarter, with Around the Hornseeing a three percent rise.

ESPN’s sport-specific programming thrived as well with The Jump and NFL Live both seeing year-over-year viewership increases for the month. The Jump’s viewership average increased by four percent with NFL Live climbing two percent.