Airing live for the first time in seven years, the ESPY Awards had a modest increase in viewership on ESPN.
The 2010 ESPY Awards drew a 1.7 U.S. rating and 2.611 million viewers on ESPN Wednesday night, up 13% in ratings and 14% in viewership from last year’s show (1.5, 2.300 mil), which was tape-delayed and aired on a Sunday night.
Compared to 2003, the last year the show aired live, Wednesday’s telecast was up 19% in viewership from 2.194 million. This marks the most-viewed live edition of the ESPY Awards since 1997 (2.888 mil).
That said, the ESPY Awards drew more viewers on multiple occasions during the tape delay years — including 2006, when the show drew 3.624 million viewers.
Though topped by Hot in Cleveland on TV Land (2.0, 2.990 mil) and Psych on USA Network (2.3, 3.679 mil), Wednesday’s show topped both among adults 18-49, with a 1.3 rating in the demo.
To put the numbers in perspective, the ESPY Awards drew far fewer viewers than the MLB Home Run Derby (4.0, 6.418 mil) or LeBron James‘ The Decision (6.1, 9.948 mil), both of which recently aired on ESPN. The show also drew a lower rating and fewer viewers than Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Versus.
