Most Cable Sports Networks See Q2 Viewership Declines; Draft Helps Boost NFL Network

The second quarter was not kind to cable sports networks, as the overwhelming majority saw viewership declines. NFL Network, buoyed by record figures for NFL Draft coverage, was the only cable sports net to see year-over-year gains in both primetime and total-day viewership. While NBCSN saw slight gains in total-day audience in Q2, its primetime audience was down 5% and at its lowest level since ’12, despite increases for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. ESPN saw its lowest Q2 primetime viewership since ’13, as the NBA conference semifinals and finals did not deliver strong numbers this year. Despite the 9% year-over-year drop, ESPN was still the No. 6 net on all of cable TV in primetime for Q2. ESPN’s total-day viewership also was its lowest for Q2 in at least a decade, and the net ranked No. 13 among all cable TV nets. Meanwhile, ESPN2’s Q2 viewership for both primetime and total-day was its lowest in at least a decade. ESPNU was down 10% and 19%, respectively. MLB Net this year had its lowest Q2 figures since ’13, while Golf Channel, which has the majority of its big-ticket coverage in the afternoons, saw Q2 total-day viewership at its lowest level since '12.

THE VOID: The Copa America Centenario was a big hit for FS1 and Univision Deportes last year, as both cable nets had their best Q2 on record. There was not much to fill that void this year, and the nets saw a big decline. FS1 in Q2 was down 30% in primetime, while its total-day was down 15%. Sharp drops for NASCAR race audiences also have not helped FS1. The drop was even more precipitous for Univision Deportes, whose Q2 primetime viewership was down 52%, with total-day down 46%.

NOTES: The Q2 measuring period was March 27-June 25, 2017. Only networks subscribing to Nielsen are measured, so that excludes Pac-12 Networks, NHL Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network and others.