Round one of the NFL Draft pulled even in the ratings, despite multi-year lows on ESPN and NFL Network.
Thursday’s opening round of the NFL Draft earned a combined 7.0 rating and 11.10 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and NFL Network, flat in ratings and down 1% in viewership from last year on ESPN, ESPN2, FOX and NFL Network (7.0, 11.21M), but up 27% and 21% respectively from 2017 on ESPN and NFL Network (5.5, 9.21M).
The combined audience is the third-largest on record for the draft, behind both last year and 2014, when Johnny Manziel was drafted 22nd (12.37M).
ESPN was the top draw with a 3.0 and 4.86 million, but that was down 10% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (3.3, 5.47M), and down 25% and 27% respectively from 2017 (4.0, 6.68M). The network pulled its lowest day one NFL Draft rating since 2004 (2.4) and its smallest audience since at least 2007.
NFL Network scored a 1.0 and 1.70 million for its coverage, down 18% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (1.2, 2.01M) and down 34% and 33% respectively from 2017 (1.2, 2.53M). Ratings and viewership were the lowest for day one of the draft on that network since 2013 (0.9, 1.52M).
ABC, which aired a draft telecast geared toward casual and non-fans, picked up the slack with a 3.0 and 4.54 million — up 25% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year on FOX (2.4, 3.74M).
The three networks combined for a 3.8 rating in adults 18-49, with ABC flat at a 1.1, ESPN down a tick to a 2.0, and NFL Network down 25% to a 0.6.
NFL Draft viewership, past decade
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 4.26]
