With the much-hyped Victor Wembanyama the first overall pick, the NBA Draft was a ratings hit for ESPN and ABC.
Thursday’s NBA Draft averaged 3.74 million viewers across ESPN and ABC, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 23% from last year and the largest audience ever for the event, edging the previous high set in 2015 (3.743M to 3.738M). Keep in mind coverage aired solely on cable prior to 2021.
The first round averaged 4.93 million (+24%), peaking with 6.09 million from 8-8:15 PM ET — when San Antonio drafted Wembanyama first overall. The traditional ESPN broadcast led the way with 2.72 million (+33%), with ABC at 2.22 million (+14%).
The second round, which aired solely on ESPN, averaged 1.19 million (+6%).
As is typical for the NBA in the months of April, May and June, the Draft was the most-watched program of the night on television and topped the charts in each of the key demographics.
Compared to other NBA draft nights of note, this year’s edition finished comfortably ahead of the LeBron James-led 2003 draft (2.83M) and the Zion Williamson-led 2019 edition (3.09M), with the obvious caveat that the event aired solely on ESPN in those years. (Those drafts also preceded the out-of-home viewing era.)
Even at a record-high, the NBA Draft remains no match for its NFL counterpart, which averaged six million viewers over three days (across three networks). It easily outpaced all other draft telecasts, the most-watched of which (over the past year) was the Major League Baseball Draft on ESPN and MLB Network 11 months ago (780K).
(Nielsen estimates from ESPN PR, ShowBuzz Daily 6.23)
