The ESPY Awards generated its largest audience ever in its first year on ABC.
The 2015 ESPY Awards drew a 5.1 final rating and 7.7 million viewers on ABC Wednesday night, up 219% in ratings and 204% in viewership from last year on ESPN and ESPN2 (1.6, 2.6M) and up 240% and 241%, respectively, from 2013 on ESPN alone (1.5, 2.3M).
The telecast scored the largest audience in the history of the ESPY Awards, more-than-doubling the previous record of 3.6 million in 2006. It also scored the highest rating for the event, again more-than-doubling the previous high set in 2006 (2.3).
Among adults 18-49, it had a 2.2 rating — double last year’s 1.1 on ESPN alone. That too is a record, topping the previous mark of 1.6 in 2006.
Overall, the show was television’s top program of the night by a comfortable margin. The second place marks were a 3.6 rating, 6.0 million viewers, and a 2.0 in the demo. Last year’s ESPY Awards did not even win the night on cable, trailing reruns of Family Guy and new episodes of Duck Dynasty and Teen Mom.
Keep in mind this year’s ESPY Awards was the first to air on a broadcast network and was tape delayed until primetime on the West Coast. The previous six editions aired live in all time zones on ESPN. The only other sports awards show on primetime broadcast television — the NFL Honors — drew a 2.8 and 4.7 million viewers on NBC in February. That event aired on a Saturday night.
(Wed. numbers via TV Media Insights)
