Fourth Consecutive Most-Viewed Fiscal Year for ESPN

October 3, 2011

Combined Audience across Networks Also a New High

For the fourth consecutive year, ESPN posted its most-watched fiscal year while tying the mark for the highest-rated fiscal year on record.  The network averaged 1,067,000 viewers (P2+) on a 24-hour basis according to Nielsen, breaking the record set last year (1,048,000).  The network’s total-day rating for the last 12 months of 0.9 tied its best ever (1990, 2010).

With record performances from Monday Night Football and the NBA plus the acquisition of college football’s Bowl Championship Series, ESPN recorded its most-watched:

• telecast (BCS Championship, Auburn defeating Oregon, cable’s biggest audience in history),
• day (January 1, with the Rose and Fiesta Bowls),
• week (the week ending January 2),
• month (November 2010),
• and quarter (Q1, Oct. – Dec. 2010). 

 Record Combined Audience for ESPN Networks

The ESPN family of six networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic and ESPN Deportes) also set a fiscal year record for combined average total-day audience with 1,535,000 viewers.  That edged last year’s record 1,528,000.

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