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Research and Ratings

ESPN Audience In '13 Lowest Since '08; MLB Net, NFL Net See Record Viewership

ESPN averaged 2.21 million viewers in primetime during '13 and 975,000 viewers on a total-day basis, marking the net's lowest figures since '08. ESPN was down 6% in primetime compared to '12, while down 4% for total-day viewership. Despite the drop, ESPN was third among all cable nets in primetime, behind only USA Network and Disney Channel. The net ranked 10th overall in total-day audience. NFL Network and MLB Network both saw record primetime and total-day audiences in '13. NFL Net was boosted by another record-setting season of NFL regular-season game telecasts. MLB Net had a similar record-breaking season for its regular-season game telecasts. The net's primetime audience was up 33% and total-day was up 28%. The net also had total-day audience records in 11 of 12 months. Golf Channel had its third-straight year of record-setting total-day viewership. The net set records in Q1, Q2 and Q3, while breaking monthly records in January, February, March, April, May, August and October. Every major tour also saw year-over-year gains on Golf Channel -- including record viewership for the Web.com, Champions and European Tours. NBCSN benefited from the return of hockey in the fall. Primetime viewership for the net in '13 was up 15%, while total-day was up 57%. FS1, which launched on Aug. 17 on what was the old Speed channel, was up 22% in primetime compared to what Speed averaged alone in '12. Total day audience for FS1 was also up 2%.

CABLE SPORTS NET PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP
NETWORK
'13 (000)
'12 (000)
'11 (000)
'10 (000)
'09 (000)
'08 (000)
ESPN
2,210
2,343
2,342
2,400
2,303
2,069
ESPN2
489
476
541
634
693
644
NFL Network
406
381
285
258
224
176
NBCSN
280
244
293
279
307
279
FS1/Speed*
246
202
237
228
280
274
Golf Channel
142
139
152
119
147
131
MLB Network
141
106
109
n/a
n/a
n/a
NBA TV
118
123
80
n/a
n/a
n/a
ESPNews
105
102
95
87
84
85
FS2/Fuel TV*
37
40
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
CABLE SPORTS NET TOTAL-DAY VIEWERSHIP
NETWORK
'13 (000)
'12 (000)
'11 (000)
'10 (000)
'09 (000)
'08 (000)
ESPN
975
1,020
1,037
1,083
1,004
921
ESPN2
277
285
310
337
333
325
NFL Network
163
152
128
114
97
80
NBCSN
163
104
95
98
120
107
FS1/Speed*
123
121
139
138
160
150
Golf Channel
110
96
91
71
88
77
MLB Network
68
53
49
n/a
n/a
n/a
ESPNews
65
67
61
64
64
66
NBA TV
55
60
38
n/a
n/a
n/a
FS2/Fuel TV*
23
21
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a







NOTES: The measuring period for the most-recent Nielsen calendar was Dec. 31, 2012 through Dec. 29, 2013. The prior year was Dec. 26, 2011 through Dec. 30, 2012. * = Speed became FS1 on Aug. 17, and Fuel TV became FS2.

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