The NFL Draft scored its largest day two audience on record; the Warriors-Clippers finale scored a bump in the overnight ratings; Blue Jackets-Bruins got off to a better start than Penguins-Capitals did last year.
Friday NFL Draft viewership hits high
The second and third rounds of the NFL Draft combined for 5.7 million viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and NFL Network Friday night, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 19% from last year on ESPN, ESPN2, FOX and NFL Network (4.8M), and up 50% from 2017 on ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network (3.8M). Ratings were not immediately available.
Viewership was the highest on record for day two of the draft. (A recap of Thursday’s day one numbers is available here.)
ABC attracted the largest individual audience, 2.6 million viewers — up 31% from last year on FOX (1.96M). ESPN and ESPN2 averaged 2.1 million, up 20% from last year (1.7M) but down 6% from 2017 (2.2M). ESPN aired three hours of coverage, compared to two hours last year.
Figures for NFL Network were not immediately available.
Overnights up for Warriors-Clippers finale
Friday’s Warriors-Clippers first round NBA playoff Game 6 earned a 3.0 overnight rating on ESPN, up 7% from last year (Thunder-Jazz: 2.8) and up 50% from 2017 (Clippers-Jazz: 2.0). The 3.0 is the highest for a first round game on ESPN in two years (2017 Warriors-Blazers Game 3: 3.1).
Jackets-Bruins opener beats previous Pens-Caps matchups
Thursday’s Blue Jackets-Bruins Stanley Cup semifinal Game 1 earned a 0.9 rating and 1.57 million viewers on NBCSN, up a tick in ratings and 13% in viewership from last year (0.8, 1.40M), and up a tick and 11% respectively from 2017 (0.8, 1.42M). Both of those games pit the Penguins against the Capitals.
Later in the night, Stars-Blues Game 1 had a 0.6 (+32%) and 1.01 million (+27%).
On Friday night, Game 1 of Hurricanes-Islanders had a 0.8 overnight (+22%). The Avalanche-Sharks nightcap also had a 0.8; there was no comparable window last year.
[Numbers from ESPN PR/Twitter 4.27 a, b; NBC Sports PR/Twitter 4.27 a, b]
