With coverage expanding to the broadcast networks, NFL Draft ratings jumped double-digits to an all-time high.
The complete, three-day NFL Draft averaged a combined 3.6 rating and 5.5 million viewers across the ESPN family of networks, FOX and NFL Network, up 25% in ratings and 20% in viewership from last year on ESPN and NFL Network alone (2.9, 4.6M), and the highest rated and most-watched draft ever.
The previous highs were a 3.5 and 5.4 million for the 2014 draft.
In particular, ESPN’s coverage averaged a 1.9 and 2.91 million — down 10% in viewership from last year, when it did not have to compete with FOX (3.18M). It was the least-watched NFL Draft on ESPN since the current three-day format began in 2010. The previous low was 2.92 million in 2011.
Individual figures for the FOX and NFL Network coverage were not immediately available.
Saturday’s final rounds averaged 2.9 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and NFL Network, the largest audience for the third day of the draft since the schedule expanded in 2010. ESPN and ABC delivered 2.2 million, up 40% from last year on ESPN alone.
Complete figures for Friday’s second and third rounds were not available, but ESPN and ESPN2 generated 1.68 million viewers (-28%). As previously noted, Thursday’s opening round trailed only 2014 as the highest rated and most-watched draft night ever, grossing a 7.0 rating and 11.2 million across the ESPN networks, FOX and NFL Network.
The NFL expanded this year’s draft coverage to broadcast television for the first time. FOX simulcast NFL Network’s coverage on Thursday and Friday and ABC simulcast ESPN’s coverage on Saturday.
Compared to other sports, the NFL Draft easily topped its closest equivalent, last year’s NBA Draft on ESPN (2.2, 3.4M). It also averaged a higher rating and viewership than last year’s Stanley Cup Final on NBC and NBCSN (2.7, 4.7M).
