The final two days of the NFL Draft could not measure up to its near-record start.
The complete, three-day NFL Draft averaged 6.08 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and NFL Network, per John Ourand of Sports Business Journal — down 28% from last year’s all-time high of 8.4 million and down 2% from 2019 (6.1M). Last year’s Draft took place during the quietest period in modern sports history and faced zero competing sporting events.
After Thursday’s opening round delivered the second-largest audience in NFL Draft history (12.52M), the remaining days of the event simply could not keep pace.
Friday’s second and third rounds averaged a 3.3 rating and 5.49 million viewers, down 31% in ratings and 32% in viewership from last year (4.9, 8.05M) and down 12% and 5% respectively from 2019 (3.8, 5.75M). ESPN led the way with a 1.6 (-31%) and 2.59 million (-32%), followed by ABC at a 1.3 (-37%) and 2.06 million (-35%) and NFL Network at a 0.5 (-21%) and 837,000 (-20%).
It was the least-watched night two of the Draft since 2018, when coverage on ESPN/ESPN2, FOX and NFL Network averaged 4.79 million.
Saturday’s final rounds averaged a 1.6 and 2.71 million, down 42% in ratings and 35% in viewership from last year (2.8, 4.17M) and down 27% and 14% respectively from 2019 (2.2, 3.16M). It was the least-watched final day of the Draft since 2017, the last time the event aired solely on cable (2.51M).
ESPN’s day three coverage averaged a 0.7 (-46%) and 1.09 million (-42%), while ABC’s simulcast pulled a 0.65 (-43%) and 1.10 million (-35%). NFL Network brought up the rear with a 0.3 (-27%) and 518,000 (-13%), its smallest NFL Draft audience since at least 2012.
2021 NFL Draft ratings, viewership, compared to past years
| Day | ESPN | NFLN | ABC | COMBINED | |||
| RTG | VWRS | RTG | VWRS | RTG | VWRS | VWRS | |
| Thursday | 3.5 | 6.478M | 1.0 | 1.850M | 2.5 | 4.192M | 12.520M |
| vs. 2020 | -19% | -18% | +3% | +7% | -27% | -26% | -18% |
| vs. 2019 | +18% | +33% | -2% | +9% | -15% | -8% | +13% |
| Friday | 1.6 | 2.591M | 0.5 | 837K | 1.3 | 2.061M | 5.489M |
| vs. 2020 | -31% | -32% | -21% | -20% | -37% | -35% | -32% |
| vs. 2019 | +12% | +26% | -28% | -24% | -26% | -20% | -5% |
| Saturday | 0.7 | 1.092M | 0.3 | 518K | 0.65 | 1.102M | 2.712M |
| vs. 2020 | -46% | -42% | -27% | -13% | -43% | -35% | -35% |
| vs. 2019 | -26% | -13% | -33% | -27% | -25% | -8% | -14% |
| Overall | COMBINED 3-DAY AVG. | 6.083M | |||||
| vs. 2020 | COMBINED 3-DAY AVG. | -28% | |||||
| vs. 2019 | COMBINED 3-DAY AVG. | -2% | |||||
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 5.4, Ourand/Twitter 5.4]
