Fewer viewers tuned into the NFL preseason on ESPN.
ESPN averaged 4.257 million viewers for coverage of the 2012 NFL preseason, down 14% from last year (4.965M). Three of the four games had declines compared to last year.
In particular, Thursday’s Cardinals/Titans game earned 3.362 million viewers — down 27% from Washington/Ravens in Week 3 last year (4.614M), and down 41% from Colts/Packers in Week 3 of the 2010 preseason (5.729M).
Cardinals/Titans earned the smallest audience of the preseason on ESPN, trailing even Packers/Chargers in Week 1 (3.386M) — a game that aired opposite the Olympics.
Overall, the game ranks as the least-viewed preseason matchup on ESPN since at least 2007.
Thursday marked the second time in a week that ESPN suffered a double-digit drop in viewership for the preseason. On Monday, the Week 2 Eagles/Patriots game drew 5.066 million viewers, down 13% from Bears/Giants in Week 2 last year (5.853M), but virtually even with Cardinals/Titans in Week 2 of the 2010 preseason (5.060M).
Viewership For NFL Preseason Games on ESPN
With comparisons to 2011 and 2010
| Date | Away | Home | Net | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 8/9/12 | Packers | Chargers | ESPN |
3.386M
|
4.390M
|
3.729M
|
| Mon., 8/13/12 | Cowboys | Raiders | ESPN |
5.371M
|
4.966M
|
5.614M
|
| Mon., 8/20/12 | Eagles | Patriots | ESPN |
5.066M
|
5.853M
|
5.060M
|
| Thu., 8/23/12 | Cardinals | Titans | ESPN |
3.362M
|
4.614M
|
5.729M
|
(Four-game average from ESPN; Thursday’s numbers from The Futon Critic; Monday’s numbers from The Futon Critic)
