Continuing the steady drumbeat of sports ratings declines, Australian Open viewership fell by more than a quarter.
The Australian Open averaged 272,000 viewers across the ESPN family of networks, down 27% from last year (371K). The tournament began three weeks later than usual, with the opening night of play airing opposite the Super Bowl.
Last Saturday’s live broadcast of the Naomi Osaka-Jennifer Brady women’s final averaged 464,000 viewers, down a third from Sofia Kenin-Garbine Muguruza last year (689K*) and the least-watched women’s final since 2018 (Caroline Wozniacki-Simona Halep: 450K).
The Novak Djokovic-Daniil Medvedev men’s final averaged 425,000 the following morning, down 28% from Djokovic-Dominic Thiem last year (588K) and the least-watched men’s final since at least 2007.
The 27% decline for the Australian Open comes on the heels of a 40% drop for last fall’s US Open, which had to contend with unusual competition from NBA and NHL playoff games, in addition to the usual football and baseball fare. Figures for last fall’s French Open were not available.
Though down overall, the Australian Open did generate its largest single audience in four years with 806,000 for the women’s semifinals (including 1.41 million for Osaka’s win over Serena Williams).
The overwhelming majority of sporting events since last year’s wave of cancellations and postponements have declined, often by double-digits.
* Aired in the hours following the Lakers’ first game following the passing of Kobe Bryant, ESPN’s most-watched NBA game since 2003.
[Nielsen estimates from ESPN]
