A star-studded line-up did nothing to lift ratings for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction.
Saturday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony had a combined 0.7 rating and 1.17 million viewers on ESPN and NFL Network, flat in ratings and down 1% in viewership from last year (0.7, 1.18M) and down a tick and 9% respectively from 2016, when the event aired opposite the Olympics (0.8, 1.29M).
Despite featuring a slew of recent stars — including Randy Moss, Ray Lewis and, in absentia, Terrell Owens — it was the least-watched Hall of Fame enshrinement since 2014 (1.10M).
ESPN’s coverage delivered a 0.45 (+5%) and 702,000 (+1%), topping only last year as the network’s smallest audience for the event in five years (2013: 698K).
NFL Network turned in a 0.29 (-6%) and 466,000 (-4%), trailing only last year as the network’s largest audience for the event in five years (2013: 477K).
Despite the lower numbers, football’s Hall of Fame continues to outdraw equivalent events in other sports. The Baseball Hall of Fame induction had 340,000 on MLB Network the previous week. Last year’s Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony had just 70,000 on NBA TV.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Viewership
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 8.7]
