data-mm-id=”_sdny8c2ri”>The premier sporting event of the last four weeks was not a live game, or even a replay of one. No, it was the release of ESPN's highly-anticipated Michael Jordan documentary, The Last Dance. Sunday evening's main event delivered on the hype, but the ratings even more so. In a press release Monday, ESPN announced The Last Dance exceeded the network's previous viewership high for original content by a substantial number, and the two episodes that aired averaged 6.1 million viewers between ESPN and ESPN2. This is obviously great news for ESPN, but it also should have executives from ESPN, NFL Network, and ABC salivating over the viewership potential of Thursday's NFL Draft. Last year, the three broadcast networks averaged 6.1 million viewers over the three days of drafting. The first night of the draft, where all the big-name players are taken and interest is highest, totaled a hair over 11 million viewers, which was actually down slightly from 2019. But the viewership for the second and third days of the draft were the highest recorded since it moved to three days a decade ago. By virtue of being the country's top sport by a long shot, the NFL draft is an automatic viewership draw already. But The Last Dance ratings showed that everyone misses sports in a big way. Michael Jordan is a mythical figure and the documentary will be chock-full of novel information and never-seen footage, but it remains just that: a documentary. The draft isn't quite the dose of live sports we're all yearning for, but it's by far the closest thing we'll get in the immediate future outside of choppy YouTube streams of overseas baseball games. If 11 million people watched it when everything was normal last year, how many more will tune in out of a desire for sports content and a lack of other options for what to do that night? Could it reach 15 or 16 million? I wouldn't consider that out of the realm of possibility at all. The second and third days get into the weeds as far as prospects go for even the most passionate football fans, so expectations should remain tempered there. But a substantial increase in every viewership metric is possible. Right now, it feels like everyone, not just your hardcore sports fans, want something to rally around. Thursday night may very well prove that. The first round, at the very least, is enough of a draw for your casual sports fan that they'll tune in, even if it's only for the first 10 picks. And that's in times when it's business as usual. It's anything but as of now. The sky feels like the limit for ESPN, NFL Network, and ABC this week.
Related Posts
After the rumored cancellation of Deviation GaSA Lottomes’ project and shutting down last March, Sony has allegedly established a new studio comprised of its former developers. Furthermore, the team working on a new unannounced IP.
Details first emerged courtesy of former employee Michael Anthony on LinkedIn, who said, “I hear that a lot of previous Deviation Games employees have set up their own studio at Sony working on an undisclosed new IP.
“All the people I see working there that have signed up are top-class developers and hope that you can create a top-class new IP with your studio that hopefully gives you all the time you need to create a quality product and not have to deal w…
It likely won’t be long before Sony announces the full lineup of games that will be joining the PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium catalog of PS4 and PS5 titles, but as tends to happen most months, that lineup seems to have been leaked ahead of time, once again courtesy of a Dealabs report by serial leaker billbil-kun.
As per the report, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, the remastered 2022 release of the acclaimed PSP action RPG, will be among the headlining additions that PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can look forward to this month. It will also be joined by Gunfire Games’ Remnant 2, while the leaker also claimed there’s a good chance that its predecessor, Remnant: From the Ashes, will be added as well- t…
Until not too long ago, few could have predicted that Dead Rising would ever see the light of day again. The slapstick zombie-slaying franchise was nothing short of a juggernaut in its early years, but a steady decline in quality with later instalments led to a shelving of the series by Capcom that felt so thorough, so final, it was hard to imagine a future where the company would ever return to it. And yet, here we are- Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster brings the series legendary debut back to the limelight in enhanced and upgraded form, and it does so with blessedly impeccable results, grabbing hold of the Dead Rising franchise’s corpse and dragging it out from under the ground for a new chance at life.
Capcom has e…
The 30th anniversary of Sony’s PlayStation brand is tomorrow, and a new update is available for PS5 owners that adds a touch of nostalgia. As posted by Tom Warren on Twitter, the boot-up screen resembles the original PlayStation, complete with the Sony Computer Entertainment logo (before it became Sony Interactive Entertainment and then PlayStation Studios).
But that’s not all. Enter the Settings menu and click on PlayStation 30th Anniversary to select options for changing the appearance and sound of the Home screen to resemble older consoles. These include PlayStation One, PS2, PS3, and PS4, mimicking their sound effects when moving through the menu screens.
Unfortunately, this option is seeDaily Lot…
Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain was a dream scenario, according to Argentina team-mate Leandro Paredes.
Messi was heavily linked with the French giants, as well as Premier League side Manchester City, having handed in a transfer request at Camp Nou last year.
Messi ended up staying to see out the final year of his deal and recently became a free agent, though there has been little talk of a move away from Barcelona amid reports he is on the verge of signing a five-year extension.
Paredes talked up the chances of his compatriot making the switch to PSG earlier this year, but he accepts the superstar forward is now set to stay in Spain.
Yes, there was a lot of talk at the club when it emerged that Leo could come to Paris, he told ESP…
Well-known football journalist Fabrizio Romano has said that AC Milan are interested in signing William Saliba from Arsenal. The Sky Sport and The Guardian journalist, who is well connected and is a transfer expert, has claimed that Milan wanted to secure the services of the teenager on a permanent, and although the Gunners immediately rejected it, the Italian giants are still interested in him.
“Arsenal are considering to send Saliba on loan,” Romano said. Arsenal not happy with his situation at the club, just for the player. AC Milan tried to sign him on permanent deal but Arsenal immediately said no. They want him in the future.”
Arsenal signed Saliba from Saint-Etienne in the summer of 2019, and as part of the deal, allowed him to spend the 2019-20 campaign on…
Lyon coach Remi Garde paid tribute to amateurs Quevilly after his team won the Coupe de France final 1-0 on Saturday.
Striker Lisandro Lopez netted a 28th-minute winner at Stade de France, seeing Lyon to their first trophy since 2008.
Garde, whose team sit fourth in Ligue 1, praised the giant-killing third-tier side for their run and performance in the final.
It is a team who beat Angers, Rennes and Marseille, so they showed potential, Garde said.
I think we respected them all and took them seriously, and we did well because even If we had a lot of chances, in second half in particular they put us under pressure.
But I congratulate them for their great final in a good mood as well. Both teams played the game in the right spirit, that s what …
Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of Manchester United s matchday squad for Sunday s Premier League trip to Fulham after struggling with illness.
Ronaldo captained United in a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa last week but was absent for Thursday s EFL Cup victory over the same opponents due to feeling unwell.
Erik ten Hag said it was possible Ronaldo would be involved in United s final pre-World Cup game at Craven Cottage, insisting the Portugal forward s absence was not influenced by the upcoming tournament in Qatar.
However, the 37-year-old was left out of United s squad, with Anthony Elanga joining Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial – who both scored in Thursday s 4-2 win over Villa – in their attack.
Ten Hag also opted to start left-back Tyrell Malacia i…
Abby Wambach has set her sights on World Cup glory with United States to crown a stunning career in women s football.
The decorated USA international has won two Olympic gold medals was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2012 and is the highest goalscorer in all international football with 182 strikes in 242 caps.
However, World Cup success continues to elude her as she embarks on a fourth finals in Canada, and that is a record she is desperate to change.
We need to be a team that has no fear, Wambach said. We need to go out there and fly at other teams — that s a team that I think is unbeatable.
If we don t that s a team that I don t know if it gets out of our group.
There is a sense that when nerves rise on the big stage people play a…
Germany boss Flick praises Fullkrug after debut goal but admits need to raise levels at the World Cu
Hansi Flick was pleased to see Niclas Fullkrug score on his Germany debut, but admitted his side were far from their best despite the 1-0 win over Oman.
The visitors struggled in Muscat in their World Cup warm-up game, relying on substitute Fullkrug s 80th-minute strike to take victory in a match that never really got going.
Though Germany will not be the only side battling fatigue amid a mid-season tournament, their lacklustre performance against relative minnows perhaps highlighted the difficulties they could face at Qatar 2022, which begins on Sunday.
Flick did take time to praise Fullkrug, the Werder Bremen striker winning his first cap after firing 10 goals in 14 Bundesliga games this season, while outlining his concerns over their warm-up showing.
…