ESPN Again Leads Cable in Key Demos in November

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ESPN Again Leads Cable in Key Demos in November

Photo of Dave Nagle Dave Nagle Follow on Twitter December 3, 2019
Bristol, CT - May 14, 2018 - Studio X: Kevin Negandhi and Sage Steele on the set of SportsCenter (Photo by Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images)

Two Decades atop Delivery of Valuable Male Audience

SportsCenter, Other Studio Shows Boost Performance

In November, ESPN maintained its leadership position among cable networks in delivering a valuable audience, especially among young men.  For the month of November (October 28 – November 24):

In total day:

  • ESPN was the #1 cable network among Men 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 for at least a 20th straight year.
  • ESPN was the #1 cable network among Adults 18-34 for a 15th straight year.
  • ESPN was the #1 cable network among Adults 18-49 for a 14th straight year.
  • ESPN was the #1 cable network among Adults 25-54 for a 10th straight year.

In prime time:

  • ESPN led all cable networks among the key adult and male demos – 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, as well as Men 18+ and has done so in each year for at least 20 years.
  • ESPN was the #1 cable network among viewers (P2+) for a third consecutive year and the 19th time out of the past 20 years.
  • ESPN was the #1 cable network among Boys 12-17 for a fourth straight year.
  • ESPN was the #1 cable network among Women 18-49 for the second straight year.

Looking at notable studio show results in November (all increases are among P2+):

  • Get Up increased for the ninth straight month, gaining 7% (418,000 vs. 390,000).
  • Thanks to First Take and the noon ET SportsCenter, not only is ESPN the #1 cable network among Men 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 on weekdays from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., but it is the leading network – broadcast or cable – with men 18-34.
  • Pardon the Interruption saw gains of 5% in November vs. a year earlier (861,000 vs. 819,000), climbing for seven of the last eight months.
  • The 6 p.m. SportsCenter finished the month of November up 5% (594,000 vs. 564,000).
  • Driven by the late night editions of SportsCenter, not only is ESPN is the #1 cable network from 11 p.m. – 2 a.m. across all key male and person demos (18-34, 18-49 and 25-54), but it is also the leading network – cable or broadcast – with men 18-34 and 18-49.
  • Monday Night Countdown is up 11% for the month (1,490,000 vs. 1,342,000) and is up 12% for the season. With this as lead-in, Monday Night Football was up 8% in November (13,883,000 vs. 12,871,000) including the most-watched game in almost three years (Seattle-San Francisco; 16,947,000 viewers) which also was the week’s most-watched telecast on broadcast or cable.  The post-game SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt was up 6% in November (3,509,000 vs. 3,306,000).

And, “Did You Know?”…

  • Across all ESPN networks, college football is up 7% for the season (including the most-watched noon game, Penn State at Minnesota, in almost three years) while College GameDay is up 4%. Also, Sunday NFL Countdown is up 8% for the year.

 

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Photo of Dave Nagle Dave Nagle Follow on Twitter December 3, 2019
Photo of Dave Nagle

Dave Nagle

As I write this on 11-11-21, it's now 35 years for me at ESPN, the only real job I’ve ever had. I joined merely to help with the upcoming America’s Cup in Australia. I was told it would be for three months at all of $5.50 per hour. I like to say I simply kept showing up. I’ve worked on almost every sport, plus answered viewer calls and letters (people used to write!), given tours, written the company newsletter and once drove NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon to the local airport. My travels have been varied…I’ve been to Martinsville, Darlington, Indy and Super Bowls; the America’s Cup (all 3) in San Diego and College GameDay in the sport’s meccas such as Eugene, Auburn, Lubbock, Stillwater and more; the NBA Finals, Wimbledon (16 times and counting) and the “other Bristol,” the one with a race track in Tennessee. These days, my main areas are tennis, UFC, boxing, network-wide ratings (by month/quarter/year), and corporate communications documents, including fact sheets, chronologies, lists and nearly 35 of the Year in Review press releases. UPDATE EXACTLY ONE YEAR LATER: Today, November 11, 2022, I am retiring from ESPN -- 36 years to the day I began. As I ride off into the sunset – top down and E Street Radio blaring – I do so with so many wonderful memories, proud of my contributions and a heart full of gratitude for the opportunity. 
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