Fueled by record numbers on NFL Network, the NFL Draft generated its second-largest audience on record.
The full, three-day NFL Draft averaged a combined 2.9 rating and 4.6 million viewers across ESPN and NFL Network — up 2% in ratings and 6% in viewership from last year and the highest average for the event since the Johnny Manziel-fueled high of 2014 (3.5, 5.4M). This year’s draft trails only 2014 as the most-watched on record.
Figures do not include streaming coverage on WatchESPN (114K, +31%) or the NFL’s digital platforms (28K, +30%).
NFL Network averaged a 0.9 rating and 1.5 million viewers for its coverage, up 15% and 18% respectively from last year and a record for the outlet. The previous highs were a 0.8 and 1.2 million in 2014. NFL Network accounted for a third of the draft audience, compared to less than a quarter in 2014.
ESPN averaged 3.1 million viewers for its coverage, up 1% from last year (3.0M), up 4% from 2015 (2.9M) and its highest average since 2014 (4.1M). Thursday’s first round accounted for the entirety of its increase, with Friday and Saturday coverage down from last year.
In particular, Friday’s second and third round action earned a 1.4 (-7%) and 2.2 million (-1%) across ESPN and ESPN2 and a 1.0 (+13%) and 1.6 million (+15%) on NFL Network. The combined audience of 3.8 million increased 5% from last year (3.6M) and 19% from 2015 (3.2M).
The final rounds earned a 1.1 (-8%) and 1.6 million (-6%) on ESPN and a 0.6 (+5%) and 902,000 (+11%) on NFL Network. The combined audience of 2.5 million slipped a fraction of a percent from last year (from 2.52M to 2.51M) but increased 37% from 2015 (1.8M).
As may go without saying, the NFL Draft towers over other comparable events. The NBA Draft averaged a 1.9 and 3.0 million on ESPN last June, and no other draft in recent memory has cracked even the one million mark.
(Numbers from NFL, with additional info from ESPN Media Zone 5.1)
