ESPN Concludes Most-Viewed NBA Season
Audience Grows 14%; ABC Up 10%

The Masters, NCAA Women’s Tourney & MLB on the Rise

ESPN’s NBA audience for the 2007-08 season was the largest of the six years since ESPN reacquired NBA rights for the 2002-03 season, an average of 1,206,000 households.  That represents an increase of 14 percent from the previous year (1,061,000).  The season that concluded last night, Wed., April 16, averaged a 1.3 rating and 1,468,000 viewers (P2+) over 70 games, up 18 percent and 13 percent, respectively, from last year (1.1 and 1,303,000 for 71 games).

ESPN’s growth was spurred by a large increase among the key young male demo – up 39 percent for men 18-34 (from an average of 295,000 impressions to 410,000).

ABC’s broadcasts averaged 2,451,000 households, up nine percent from 2006-07.  The network averaged a 2.2 rating for 19 games, up 10 percent from 2.0, and 3,175,000 viewers, an increase of 10 percent from 2,880,000 a year ago (19 games).

In addition, the season included two of ESPN’s five largest regular-season NBA audiences of all time.  The Phoenix at Los Angeles Lakers on February 20 (2,813,000 households, based on a 2.9 rating) and Phoenix at Boston two nights later on February 22 (2,237,000, based on a 2.3 rating), rank third and fifth among ESPN’s 404 regular-season NBA telecasts since 2002.  The most-viewed game occurred January, 17, 2003, when Houston played the Lakers and Yao Ming faced Shaquille O’Neal for the first time (3,326,000, based on a 3.8 rating).

Other Sports on the Rise

Other positive recent ratings stories at ESPN:

• ESPN's coverage of the second round of the Masters Tournament on Friday, April 11, was the most-viewed golf telecast ever on cable. The telecast averaged 3,014,394 household impression, based on a 3.1 rating.  Compared to 2007, the two days of ESPN’s first-ever coverage delivered 20 percent more households and more than double the audience of men 18-34.

• The NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament was the most-watched ever for both ESPN and ESPN2, up 42 percent and 31 percent, respectively, vs. 2007.  The championship game – with Tennessee capturing its eighth national title over Stanford, 64-48 – was seen by an average of 2,871,000 homes, up 34 percent from last year (2,137,000).  The game garnered a 3.0 rating.

• The Major League Baseball season is off to a fast start on ESPN, with an average audience of 2,000,000 homes for four games, up 52 percent from 1,311,000 for 2007 to date (five games).

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