ESPN’s X Games continues to decline as a live TV event. X Games Minneapolis averaged 385,000 viewers for live telecasts from U.S. Bank Stadium on ABC and ESPN last week, marking the summer event’s lowest figure on record. This year’s average was down 35% from the record-low figure of 588,000 viewers last year, when the event was held at Circuit of the Americas in Austin. The X Games audience has declined for three straight years now, and this year’s average audience was less than half of the Winter Games audience (778,000 viewers on ESPN and ABC earlier this year). As recently as '11, the summer X Games averaged more than 1 million viewers. But ESPN says linear TV does not tell the whole story. Streaming minutes increased 51% year-over-year and total time spent on XGames.com increased by 12%, while social interactions also grew. ESPN did not provide average concurrent streaming viewers, the stat most directly comparable to TV figures. ESPN in a statement said, "Given the nature of the X Games brand and core audience, television is but one way for fans to enjoy these events." Viewership may have been affected by the decision Saturday to bump the skateboard big air event from ABC/ESPN to ESPNews on short notice. Overall, two fewer hours aired on ABC compared to last year.
