ESPN, NFL Net Draft Ratings Down Amid Heavy On-Air Competition

ESPN earned a 4.3 overnight Nielsen rating for the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night from 8:00-11:45pm ET, down 20.4% from a 5.4 overnight for the first round on the net last year, when it aired from 7:00-11:15pm. On NFL Network, the Draft earned a 0.9 overnight, down 10% from a 1.0 overnight last year.

The Draft had plenty of competition from other programming. Fox led all telecasts with an episode of “American Idol,” which earned a 13.4 overnight. NBC also aired Steve Carell’s final episode on “The Office,” which earned a 5.7 overnight. TNT aired an NBA Playoff doubleheader, with Lakers-Hornets Game Six leading the way with a 2.7 overnight from 8:09-10:39pm. Mavericks-Trail Blazers Game Six in the net’s late window earned a 2.6 overnight from 10:39pm-1:19am.

All ratings exclude the Birmingham market due to the recent storms. There were six players from Auburn and Alabama taken in the first round.