ESPN’s Weekday Studio Shows Grow Audience in March

• Midnight SportsCenter up 15%; Four Editions of SportsCenter See Rise among Viewers 18-34
• First Take Sets Record for March, Quarter; Leads Cable in Time Slot for Young Men
• Many Shows See Increases among Viewers 18-34

Many of ESPN’s weekday daytime studio shows saw audience growth in the last month over March 2017 (P2+).  In addition, a number of shows saw an increase among viewers 18-34, including four separate editions of SportsCenter.

For First Take, it was a particularly noteworthy month:

• It was the most-viewed March ever for First Take (average of 433,000 viewers, up 2%).
• It was the most-viewed first quarter of the year ever for the show (average of 474,000, up 4%)
• First Take’s audience has grown year over year for nine consecutive months and 11 of the last 12.
• In March in the First Take time slot (Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m. – Noon ET), ESPN ranked as the top cable network among Men 18-34, Men 18-49 and Men 25-54

Other ESPN studio shows with audience growth in March:

• The midnight SportsCenter is up15% to an average of 632,000 and the 6 p.m. show is up 4% to an average of 498,000
• NFL Live up 10% to an average of 330,000
• The Jump up 6% to an average of 326,000
• SportsNation up 4% to an average of 352,000

Those and other ESPN studio shows saw increases in March among young viewers (People 18-34).  These include four separate editions of SportsCenter – A.M. (7-10 a.m.), noon, midnight and the 1 a.m. edition plus First Take, OTL, NFL Live, The Jump and SportsNation.

(Source:  Nielsen 2/26/18-3/30/18, M-Su 6a-6a, Includes DTVR, Live+Same Day.)

 

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