Most-Watched MLB Game on ESPN Since 2003
ESPN’s American League Wild Card Game telecast presented by Hankook Tires – the Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees 3-0 – delivered the largest MLB Wild Card Game audience ever, according to Fast Nationals from Nielsen. The telecast averaged 7,604,000 viewers (P2+), and peaked with 8,600,000 viewers from 10:30-11 p.m. ET. It was ESPN’s most-watched MLB game since 2003.
The viewership average was up 46 percent from last year’s AL Wild Card Game – Kansas City vs. Oakland – which drew 5,213,000 viewers. It’s also up 36 percent from ESPN’s telecast of the 2014 NL Wild Card Game – San Francisco vs. Pittsburgh – which generated 5,591,000 viewers and was the previously most-watched MLB Wild Card game.
Last night’s telecast delivered a 4.9 U.S. household rating, which is up 48 percent and 36 percent, respectively, from last year’s AL Wild Card and NL Wild Card telecasts. It was also up double-digits from both of last year’s Wild Card telecasts across all key demos.
2015 AL Wild Card on ESPN vs. 2014 NL Wild Card on ESPN – Key Demos
M18-34 (2.9 vs. 2.1, up 38 percent); M18-49 (3.4 vs. 2.4, up 42 percent); M25-54 (3.6 vs. 2.6, up 38 percent); P18-34 (2.1 vs. 1.4, up 50 percent); P18-49 (2.3 vs. 1.5, up 53 percent); P25-54 (2.5 vs. 1.7, up 47 percent).
AL Wild Card Game Delivers Record WatchESPN Audience
Tuesday’s AL Wild Card Game generated the largest audience for an MLB game ever on WatchESPN, setting records across metrics, including 445,000 unique viewers, an average minute audience of 127,000 viewers, and 25.7 million total minutes viewed across devices.
Additional ESPN coverage notes:
- Jessica Mendoza made history during ESPN’s AL Wild Card telecast by becoming the first female analyst for a nationally televised MLB playoff game. After the game, her scorecard was collected for inclusion to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. She called the game alongside Dan Shulman, John Kruk and Buster Olney with Tampa Bay Rays star Chris Archer
- ESPN Radio is documenting every pitch of the 2015 MLB Postseason, which continues with the National League Wild Card Game – Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates – Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. ET. Jon Sciambi and analyst Chris Singleton will describe the action.
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Media contact: Ben Cafardo at 860-766-3496 or ben.cafardo@espn.com (@Ben_ESPN).
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