NFL Draft ratings hit a four-year high in the metered markets, thanks to an expanded four-network presentation.
Thursday’s opening round of the NFL Draft earned a combined 8.4 overnight rating across ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network and FOX, per Sports Business Daily — up 25% from last year (6.7) and up a third from 2016 (6.3), when coverage aired on ESPN and NFL Network alone.
The 8.4 overnight is the highest for the opening round since 2014, when hype surrounding quarterback prospect Johnny Manziel boosted the numbers to an 8.7.
ESPN was the highest rated network for Thursday’s coverage with a 3.9 overnight, but that was down 19% from last year (4.8), 17% from 2017 (4.7) and its lowest for the first day of the draft since 2008 — when the event still began on a Saturday afternoon (3.7).
ESPN2’s college-themed coverage was a blip with a 0.1.
Airing the NFL Draft for the very first time, the FOX broadcast network had a 2.9 overnight for its simulcast of NFL Network’s coverage. NFL Network itself had a 1.5, down 21% from last year (1.9) and down a tick from 2016 (1.6).
Compared to other sports, Thursday’s opening round came within three-tenths of the final round of the Masters (8.7) and cruised past February’s NASCAR Daytona 500 (5.1). It was no match for last year’s lowest NBA Finals (12.4) or World Series (10.2) games or this year’s record-low NCAA men’s basketball final (10.3).
[Thu. numbers from Sports Business Daily 4.27]
