Considering the lack of big names, it should be no surprise that fewer viewers tuned into the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
First round coverage of the 2013 NFL Draft drew a combined 7.7 million viewers on ESPN and NFL Network Thursday night, down 5% from last year (8.1M), up 10% from 2011 (7.0M).
The combined audience ranks as the second-smallest for the first round of the NFL Draft since it moved to Thursday night in 2010.
ESPN was to blame for the downturn in viewership. The network’s first round coverage averaged a 4.1 U.S. rating and 6.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — down 7% in ratings and viewership from last year (4.4, 6.7M), but up 8% and 3%, respectively, from 2011 (3.8, 6.0M).
NFL Network, by contrast, had a modest increase in viewership. First round coverage on the network averaged a record 1.5 million viewers, up 7% from last year (1.4M), up 46% from 2011 (1.0M).
Combined Viewership For First Round of the NFL Draft
Past five years
(Thursday’s numbers from NFL Communications, ESPN Media Zone)
