ESPN’s NFL Draft viewership bounced back after a slow start, while NFL Network averaged its largest audience ever for the event.
The full, three-day 2016 NFL Draft averaged a 2.0 rating and 3.0 million viewers on ESPN and ESPN2, up a tick in ratings and up 3% in viewership from last year (1.9, 2.9M) and up 26% and 27%, respectively, from 2014 (2.1, 4.1M). The 2014 draft remains the most-watched ever on the ESPN networks.
The year-over-year increase represents a marked turnaround for the network after its opening round viewership declined 10% to a three-year low.
In particular, Friday’s second and third round coverage had a 1.5 and 2.3 million across ESPN and ESPN2, up 7% in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year (1.4, 2.1M) but down 21% and 19%, respectively, from 2014 (1.9, 2.8M). Ratings and viewership topped only last year as the lowest for Friday coverage on the ESPN networks since the draft expanded to three days in 2010.
Finally, Saturday coverage had a 1.2 and 1.7 million — up 33% in ratings and 32% in viewership from last year (0.9, 1.3M) but down 20% and 13%, respectively, from 2014 (1.5, 2.0M). Viewership was the third-highest for the final day of the draft under the three-day format.
On NFL Network, the draft averaged 1.3 million viewers per Sports Business Daily — up 25% from last year (1.0M), up 4% from 2014 (1.2M), and the network’s best average ever for the event. Its Friday coverage had 1.4 million, up 23% from last year (1.1M) and 15% from 2014 (1.2M). Saturday viewership was not immediately available.
As previously noted, NFL Network had 2.0 million for Thursday’s opening round (+12%).
(Numbers from ESPN Media Zone, Sports Business Daily, ShowBuzz Daily)
