or


[09/05/24 - 09:45 AM]
ESPN Platforms Deliver Largest Kickoff Week Audience Since 2016 - ESPN and ABC Score Top 6 Games Across All Networks
ESPN's Nielsen-rated networks airing college football - ABC, ESPN and ESPNU - averaged 3.1 million viewers in Week 1, up 44 percent over 2023 and the largest audience for Kickoff Week across ESPN platforms since 2016.
[via press release from ESPN]

ESPN Platforms Deliver Largest Kickoff Week Audience Since 2016 - ESPN and ABC Score Top 6 Games Across All Networks

College GameDay Built by The Home Depot, ESPN+ Also Deliver Record Viewership

The official kickoff to the college football season did not disappoint, as millions tuned in across ESPN platforms to see major upsets, last-second thrillers and dominant performances from some of the country's top teams. ESPN's Nielsen-rated networks airing college football - ABC, ESPN and ESPNU - averaged 3.1 million viewers in Week 1, up 44 percent over 2023 and the largest audience for Kickoff Week across ESPN platforms since 2016.

Both ABC and ESPN were up double digits over 2023. ABC scored its most-watched Kickoff Week since 2016 and the second best on record, finishing up 83 percent year-over-year. Meanwhile, ESPN was up 23 percent for Week 1 over the 2023 edition. Saturday, Aug. 31st was the most-viewed day of college football ever on ESPN+, and Week 1 included the top 3 regular season college football games ever on the platform.

ESPN platforms scored the top six games across all networks in Week 1, hitting multi-year viewership highs in key windows. Additionally, this is the first time since Week 1 in 2016 that ESPN platforms have had six games in one weekend all surpass 4.0 million viewers.

Week 1's Top Performers:

1. USC vs. LSU | 9.2 million viewers on ABC

· ABC's third best Sunday Opener on record and ABC's most-streamed college football game on record

· The Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic - an ESPN Events kickoff game - also broke the Allegiant Stadium attendance record with 63,969 fans cheering on the Trojans and the Tigers

2. Notre Dame at Texas A&M | 8.2 million viewers on ABC

· Most-viewed ABC Saturday Night Football matchup in two seasons

3. Clemson vs. Georgia | 8.0 million viewers on ABC

· Most-watched Week 1 noon game on record

4. Miami at Florida | 6.7 million viewers on ABC

· Largest Week 1 late afternoon audience since 2017, as the new SEC on ABC franchise made its debut

5. North Dakota State at Colorado | 4.8 million viewers on ESPN

· ESPN's most-watched Thursday opener since 2017

6. Boston College at Florida State | 4.4 million viewers on ESPN

College GameDay Built by The Home Depot delivered one of its most-watched regular season episodes in the 37-year history of the show. 2.5 million viewers watched as the sport's premier pregame show made its stateside season debut in College Station, with 3.2 million viewers tuning in for the final hour. Week 1 from Aggieland is the most-watched episode to air outside of Thanksgiving Weekend and was the most-watched regular season episode since November 2016. The audience was up 47 percent year-over-year and demolished the previous Week 1 audience record by double digits.

ESPN's social media team created more than 1,200 pieces of content across all platforms, registering 58 million engagements - up 68 percent year-over-year - and scored 554 million video views for Week 1. The team's viral video featuring new teammates Nick Saban and Pat McAfee is College GameDay's most-viewed TikTok ever with 24 million views and climbing, and boasts a total of 50 million views across all ESPN platforms.

-30-





  [september 2024]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· SATURDAY NIGHT COLLEGE FOOTBALL (ABC)




most recent ratings | view all posts
[11/01/24 - 11:54 AM]
"High Potential" Continues Linear Dominance as ABC Wins Tuesday 10 p.m. Hour in Total Viewers for First Time in 4 Years
Season to date through week five, "High Potential" stands as ABC's most-watched (10.42 million) new series in six years - since the 2018-2019 season with "The Conners."
[10/31/24 - 06:41 PM]
FOX Sports Caps a Postseason for the Ages as World Series Game 5 Delivers 18.6 Million Viewers
Across all networks, the 120th World Series dominated the television landscape with an average of 15,808,000 viewers, the best combined figure for the Fall Classic since 2017.
[10/30/24 - 03:14 PM]
FOX Sports Hits Grand Slam with Most-Watched World Series Game 4 Since 2016, Peaking at 18.2M Viewers
Through Game 4, the 2024 World Series across all networks is averaging 14,984,000 viewers - its best start since 2017.
[10/29/24 - 03:37 PM]
World Series Game 3: Monday's Most-Watched Program
On FOX, the broadcast averaged 13,208,000 viewers, making it the most-watched Game 3 since 2018.
[10/29/24 - 12:03 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of Oct. 21: "The Lincoln Lawyer" Courts the Top Spot; "Don't Move" Debuts at #1
The new docuseries "This Is the Zodiac Speaking" debuted at #2 with 7.5M views and the feature documentary "Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare" stole #3 (7.2M views).

[10/29/24 - 11:30 AM]
CBS Premiere Episodes Soar in Multiplatform Viewership Led by "Matlock" Premiere Amassing 22.8 Million Viewers in One Month
Other highlights include the series premiere of "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage" amassed 10.6 million multiplatform viewers in its first seven days.
[10/28/24 - 03:50 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Is Top Program of the Night in Adults 18-49
Season to date, "Dancing with the Stars" stands as the No. 1 entertainment program on broadcast in Adults 18-49 (0.69 rating).
[10/28/24 - 02:05 PM]
Cowboys-49ers Averages Nearly 24 Million Viewers on NBC & Peacock in Most-Watched Week 8 "Sunday Night Football" Game Ever
NBC Sports' audience peaked at 26.4 million viewers in the second quarter (9:15-9:30 p.m. ET).

[10/27/24 - 02:17 PM]
Viewership Gains: World Series Off to Strongest Start Since 2017
With 13,444,000 viewers, it was the most-watched World Series Game 2 on FOX since 2018 (Dodgers-Red Sox: 13,508,000).
[10/26/24 - 01:12 PM]
Gibby, Meet Freddie: MLB Delivers 15.2M Viewers for World Series Game 1
It was the most-watched World Series Game 1 since 2017 (Astros-Dodgers: 15,328,000).
[10/25/24 - 10:57 AM]
The 2024 WNBA Season Delivers Record Viewership Across ESPN Platforms
The 2024 postseason averaged 1.1 million viewers - up 139 percent over 2023's postseason - making it the most-viewed WNBA postseason in 25 years.

[10/24/24 - 01:42 PM]
"Interview with a Killer" Sets Record with Most-Watched Court TV Original Series Debut
The show's initial telecasts were up +50% with Persons 2+ and +60% in P25-54, to become Court TV's top-performing original since the network began being Nielsen rated.
[10/23/24 - 12:35 PM]
"9-1-1" Concludes Wildly Exciting "Bee-Nado" Story Arc, Rising +89% in Total Viewers and +294% in Adults 18-49 Over Initial Live + Same Day Audience
On linear, "9-1-1" ranked as the top entertainment program of the night in both Total Viewers (7.39 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.75 rating).
[10/23/24 - 11:25 AM]
It's a Hallmark Channel Christmas Across Entertainment Cable
"'Twas the Date Before Christmas," "Holiday Crashers," and "Scouting for Christmas" became the Top 3 entertainment cable programs of the week among Households, Total Viewers, and Women and Persons 18+.
[10/22/24 - 03:00 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers vs. CBS' "After Midnight" and NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers" for 6th Consecutive Week
Season to date, "Nightline" is up in Total Viewers (+2% - 989,000 vs. 958,000) versus the comparable weeks last season, posting its largest Total Viewer audience in 5 years - since the 2019-2020 season.