Wimbledon viewership rebounded from last year, if 2019 levels remain elusive.
Last Sunday’s Novak Djokovic-Nick Kyrgios Wimbledon men’s final averaged a 1.3 rating and 2.24 million viewers on ESPN, ranking as the most-watched men’s final excluding those involving Roger Federer since 3.05 million watched Andy Murray-Djokovic in 2012 (four telecasts). Ratings increased 18% and viewership 22% from Djokovic-Matteo Berrettini last year (1.1, 1.8M).
Djokovic’s win, which peaked with 3.3 million viewers, fell well short of his 2019 five-set defeat of Federer (3.83M). An encore presentation on ABC averaged a 0.63 and 1.02 million.
The previous day’s Elena Rybakina-Ons Jabeur women’s final averaged a 0.7 and 1.21 million, flat in ratings and up 9% in viewership from Ashleigh Barty-Karolina Pliskova last year (0.7, 1.1M) but down sharply from Simona Halep-Serena Williams in 2019 (1.7, 2.44M). The ABC encore drew a 0.52 and 838,000. Combined, the two ABC encore presentations averaged 931,000 (+13%).
The complete Wimbledon tournament averaged 647,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, up 26% from last year. Keep in mind this year marked the first time since NBC last held rights in 2011 that any live Wimbledon coverage was scheduled for broadcast television. In addition, last year’s Wimbledon coverage included fewer hours on the flagship ESPN network due to the UEFA Euros.
While this year’s audience jumped 26% from last year, it declined the same amount from 2019 (877K). Keep in mind that 2019 figures did not include out-of-home viewing.
Wimbledon singles finals ratings, viewership, past decade
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 7.12, network PR]
