After weeks of hype, ESPN’s “Last Dance” documentary about the Michael Jordan-led 1990s Chicago Bulls delivered in the ratings.
Parts one and two of the ESPN 30 For 30 documentary series “The Last Dance” — centered on the final season of the Jordan-era Bulls — averaged 6.1 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN2 Sunday night, the largest audience ever for a 30 For 30 premiere.
In particular, part one averaged 6.3 million and part two 5.8 million. ESPN alone averaged 5.7 million for part one and 5.0 million for part two. Figures do not include a Midnight ET re-air that averaged 794,000 (903K for part one and 685K for part two).
Chicago led all markets with a hefty 12.1 rating, followed by Raleigh-Durham (6.5) and Norfolk, Va. (4.9). Charlotte and Greensboro, N.C. tied for fourth (4.7).
The previous 30 For 30 high was 3.60 million for “You Don’t Know Bo” following the Heisman Trophy Presentation in 2012. By comparison, part one of “O.J.: Made in America” in 2016 averaged 3.42 million on ABC.
As one would expect, the telecast ranks as the most-watched sportscast on any network since the majority of events were called off on March 11-12. The previous high was 2.16 million set a week earlier by a re-air of last year’s Masters on CBS.
For ESPN, it was the most-watched program since the College Football Playoff National Championship in January (25.59M). The network had not cracked the million viewer mark since SportsCenter on March 11, the night the NBA suspended its season.
Only two NBA games during the 2019-20 season averaged a larger audience than Sunday’s premiere — Clippers-Lakers (8.76M) and Rockets-Warriors (6.55M) on Christmas Day.
“The Last Dance” was originally set to debut in June during the NBA Finals, but was moved up to help fill the unprecedented void left by the slew of pandemic-related cancellations and postponements. Airing on what was originally going to be the opening weekend of the NBA Playoffs, it outdrew every playoff opener in three years (2017 Blazers-Warriors: 6.52M).
The previous 30 For 30 — “Vick” — averaged 941,000 in part one January 30 and 681,000 in part two February 6.
Most-watched 30 For 30 premieres
[Nielsen estimates from ESPN]
