Last week’s Red Sox/Yankees clash was not exactly a blockbuster, but still gave ESPN a double-digit increase in ratings and viewership. In other news, IndyCar had a decline for its second race of the season, and the WNBA Draft was the most-viewed in ten years.
Red Sox/Yankees Lifts ESPN
- Last week’s Red Sox/Yankees “Sunday Night Baseball” game earned a 1.8 U.S. rating and 2.8 million viewers on ESPN, up 20% in ratings and 28% in viewership from Orioles/Yankees last year (1.5, 2.2M), but down 5% and 2%, respectively, from Angels/Yankees in 2012 (1.9, 2.8M). The game ranks as the most-viewed MLB telecast of the young season. (Sun. numbers from Sports Business Daily)
IndyCar Down at Long Beach
- NBCSN earned a 0.3 U.S. rating and 368,000 viewers for last Sunday’s IndyCar Series race from Long Beach, flat in ratings and down 2% in viewership from last year (0.3, 375K), and flat and down 21%, respectively, from 2012 (0.3, 468K). The audience was the lowest for the race since 2011 (323K). [Originally, this post mistakenly referred to last week’s race as having been the Grand Prix of Alabama. That race takes place next week.] (This year’s numbers from Son of the Bronx)
WNBA Draft Most-Viewed in Decade
- Last Monday’s WNBA Draft earned 413,000 viewers on ESPN2, up 9% from last year’s draft (379K), and up 119% from 2012, when it aired in the afternoon (189K). This year’s draft ranks as the second-most viewed ever, trailing only 2004 — when Diana Taurasi went #1 overall (601K). The WNBA Draft averaged more viewers than last year’s Lynx/Dream sweep in the WNBA Finals (345K). (ESPN Media Zone)
