ESPN's 25th MLB Season Viewership & Rating Up Double-Digits

· ESPN's 25th Sunday Night Baseball Season Audience Up, Averaging Nearly Two Million Viewers

· MLB Delivers Ratings Increases Across Key Demos on ESPN

· WatchESPN Experiences Significant Growth for MLB Games

Through 42 games, ESPN's 25th Major League Baseball season is experiencing double-digit viewership and ratings growth. The 2014 season is averaging 1,242,000 viewers (p2+), up 11 percent versus 2013 (1,123,000), according to Nielsen. Additionally, ESPN is averaging a 0.9 U.S. household rating, up 13 percent from last year's 0.8.

Sunday Night Baseball

The 25th season of Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell - MLB's exclusive, national baseball game of the week - is averaging 1,983,000 viewers and a 1.3 rating, up nine percent and eight percent, respectively, versus 2013 (1,826,000 viewers, 1.2 rating).

MLB on ESPN demos

ESPN is experiencing ratings increases across key demos for its MLB coverage, including 20 percent in M25-54 (0.6 vs. 0.5) and 33 percent in P18-49 (0.4 vs. 0.3).

WatchESPN

Major League Baseball is also delivering widespread growth across ESPN's digital platforms. MLB games on WatchESPN are up 72 percent in average minute audience and 68 percent in unique viewers.

ESPN's second-half coverage kicks into high gear on July 20 with Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell - the Los Angeles Dodgers at the St. Louis Cardinals - at 8 p.m. ET.