Jacob G
Jan 25, 2024 02:00 EST
Pardon the Interruption is the best show on ESPN.
ESPN (formerly known as Entertainment and Sports Programming Network until 1985) is a television channel in the United States launched on September 7, 1979. ESPN is currently the ninth most popular channel on TV, watched by a total number of 603,000 people (down -33% from yesterday) during primetime, as of the average daily audience measurement on .
Demographic breakdown of the most recent historical ratings of ESPN as of Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
| ESPN Daily Ratings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Daypart | Demo | Audience | Rating |
| 2025-Apr-22 | PT | P2+ | 603,000 | 0.19 |
| P18-49 | 241,400 | 0.18 | ||
| P25-54 | 259,300 | 0.21 | ||
| 2025-Apr-21 | PT | HH | 540,900 | 0.43 |
| P2+ | 901,000 | 0.28 | ||
| P18-49 | 362,000 | 0.27 | ||
| P25-54 | 419,800 | 0.34 | ||
| 2025-Apr-20 | PT | P2+ | 1,108,000 | 0.35 |
| P18-49 | 348,600 | 0.26 | ||
| P25-54 | 382,800 | 0.31 | ||
| 2025-Apr-19 | PT | HH | 767,400 | 0.61 |
| P2+ | 1,607,000 | 0.51 | ||
| P18-49 | 683,900 | 0.51 | ||
| P25-54 | 728,500 | 0.59 | ||
| 2025-Apr-16 | PT | HH | 1,069,300 | 0.85 |
| P2+ | 2,092,000 | 0.66 | ||
| P18-49 | 938,600 | 0.70 | ||
| P25-54 | 1,024,900 | 0.83 | ||
| 2025-Apr-14 | PT | HH | 641,600 | 0.51 |
| P2+ | 918,000 | 0.29 | ||
| P18-49 | 321,800 | 0.24 | ||
| P25-54 | 382,800 | 0.31 | ||
| ESPN Weekly Ratings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Daypart | Demo | Audience | Rating |
| 2025-Apr-20 | HH | 423,000 | 0.34 | |
| P2+ | 612,000 | 0.19 | ||
| P25-54 | 272,000 | 0.22 | ||
| PT | HH | 756,000 | 0.60 | |
| P2+ | 1,139,000 | 0.36 | ||
| P25-54 | 515,000 | 0.42 | ||
| 2025-Apr-13 | HH | 394,000 | 0.31 | |
| P2+ | 544,000 | 0.17 | ||
| P25-54 | 209,000 | 0.17 | ||
| PT | HH | 609,000 | 0.48 | |
| P2+ | 917,000 | 0.29 | ||
| P25-54 | 404,000 | 0.33 | ||
| 2025-Apr-06 | HH | 389,000 | 0.31 | |
| P2+ | 547,000 | 0.17 | ||
| P25-54 | 213,000 | 0.17 | ||
| PT | HH | 992,000 | 0.79 | |
| P2+ | 1,495,000 | 0.47 | ||
| P25-54 | 530,000 | 0.43 | ||
| 2025-Mar-30 | HH | 411,000 | 0.33 | |
| P2+ | 593,000 | 0.19 | ||
| P25-54 | 220,000 | 0.18 | ||
| PT | HH | 825,000 | 0.66 | |
| P2+ | 1,236,000 | 0.39 | ||
| P25-54 | 447,000 | 0.36 | ||
| 2025-Mar-23 | HH | 308,000 | 0.24 | |
| P2+ | 430,000 | 0.14 | ||
| P25-54 | 170,000 | 0.14 | ||
| PT | HH | 482,000 | 0.38 | |
| P2+ | 729,000 | 0.23 | ||
| P25-54 | 288,000 | 0.23 | ||
| 2025-Mar-16 | HH | 501,000 | 0.40 | |
| P2+ | 740,000 | 0.23 | ||
| P25-54 | 296,000 | 0.24 | ||
| PT | HH | 951,000 | 0.76 | |
| P2+ | 1,454,000 | 0.46 | ||
| P25-54 | 581,000 | 0.47 | ||
| ESPN Monthly Ratings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Daypart | Demo | Audience | Rating |
| 2025-Mar | HH | 383,000 | 0.30 | |
| P2+ | 553,000 | 0.17 | ||
| P25-54 | 221,000 | 0.18 | ||
| PT | HH | 722,000 | 0.57 | |
| P2+ | 1,107,000 | 0.35 | ||
| P25-54 | 436,000 | 0.35 | ||
| 2025-Feb | HH | 395,000 | 0.31 | |
| P2+ | 577,000 | 0.18 | ||
| P25-54 | 244,000 | 0.20 | ||
| PT | HH | 880,000 | 0.70 | |
| P2+ | 1,398,000 | 0.44 | ||
| P25-54 | 588,000 | 0.48 | ||
| 2024-Sep | HH | 536,000 | 0.43 | |
| P2+ | 740,000 | 0.23 | ||
| P25-54 | 315,000 | 0.26 | ||
| PT | HH | 1,359,000 | 1.08 | |
| P2+ | 2,012,000 | 0.63 | ||
| P25-54 | 856,000 | 0.69 | ||
| 2024-Aug | HH | 273,000 | 0.22 | |
| P2+ | 366,000 | 0.12 | ||
| P25-54 | 143,000 | 0.12 | ||
| PT | HH | 422,000 | 0.34 | |
| P2+ | 607,000 | 0.19 | ||
| P25-54 | 224,000 | 0.19 | ||
| ESPN Quarterly Ratings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Daypart | Demo | Audience | Rating |
| 2025-Q1 | HH | 582,000 | 0.46 | |
| P2+ | 869,000 | 0.27 | ||
| P25-54 | 354,000 | 0.29 | ||
| PT | HH | 1,433,000 | 1.14 | |
| P2+ | 2,299,000 | 0.72 | ||
| P25-54 | 937,000 | 0.76 | ||
| 2024-Q3 | HH | 381,000 | 0.30 | |
| P2+ | 521,000 | 0.16 | ||
| P25-54 | 213,000 | 0.17 | ||
| PT | HH | 812,000 | 0.65 | |
| P2+ | 1,194,000 | 0.38 | ||
| P25-54 | 490,000 | 0.40 | ||
| 2024-Q2 | HH | 474,000 | 0.38 | |
| P2+ | 653,000 | 0.21 | ||
| P25-54 | 284,000 | 0.23 | ||
| PT | HH | 1,206,000 | 0.96 | |
| P2+ | 1,817,000 | 0.58 | ||
| P25-54 | 767,000 | 0.63 | ||
| 2023-Q4 | HH | 629,000 | 0.50 | |
| P2+ | 876,000 | 0.28 | ||
| P25-54 | 388,000 | 0.32 | ||
| PT | HH | 1,540,000 | 1.23 | |
| P2+ | 2,306,000 | 0.73 | ||
| P25-54 | 989,000 | 0.82 | ||
| ESPN Yearly Ratings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Daypart | Demo | Audience | Rating |
| 2024 | PT | P2+ | 1,674,000 | 0.53 |
| P18-49 | 623,000 | 0.46 | ||
| 2023 | HH | 519,000 | 0.42 | |
| P2+ | 723,000 | 0.23 | ||
| P25-54 | 320,000 | 0.26 | ||
| PT | HH | 1,193,000 | 0.95 | |
| P2+ | 1,790,000 | 0.57 | ||
| P18-49 | 654,000 | 0.50 | ||
| P25-54 | 761,000 | 0.63 | ||
| 2022 | HH | 514,000 | 0.42 | |
| P2+ | 710,000 | 0.23 | ||
| P25-54 | 309,000 | 0.25 | ||
| PT | HH | 1,286,000 | 1.04 | |
| P2+ | 1,913,000 | 0.61 | ||
| P18-49 | 702,000 | 0.54 | ||
| P25-54 | 800,000 | 0.66 | ||
| 2021 | PT | P2+ | 1,618,000 | 0.52 |
| P18-49 | 608,000 | 0.47 | ||
The 10 highest-rated scheduled programs on ESPN by total viewership audience as of Wednesday, April 23, 2025. See more ESPN shows.
| Rank | Program | Audience | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NBA Playoffs: 1st Round | 4,124,000 | +6% |
| 2 | Formula 1 Grand Prix | 1,460,000 | +77% |
| 3 | MLB Sunday Night | 1,172,000 | -40% |
| 4 | NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs | 815,000 | +35% |
| 5 | Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown | 631,000 | -25% |
| 6 | NHL Regular Season | 535,000 | +126% |
| 7 | SportsCenter Weekend | 466,000 | -11% |
| 8 | College Baseball | 440,000 | +61% |
| 9 | NBA Courtside | 315,000 | -71% |
| 10 | Pro Fighters League | 193,000 | -30% |
Pardon the Interruption is the best show on ESPN.
Their numbers continue to fall for one reason...talent. ESPN can not evaluate broadcast talent. They give a tremendous amount of money to Stephen A Smith and his show barely cracks ESPN top 20. They put all their eggs in one basket, thinking Smith is a superstar and he is not, many people just don't like him and all his yelling and screaming. Mike Greenburg is another. This guy just makes you not want to watch sports, all his crying and complaining thinking that it's some kind of cool schtick...it's not, it's annoying. Worst thing is, some mornings I think I'll give it a try, haven't watched in a couple of months and Greenburg is not there but he's replaced by someone that makes you go.....what the hell, who is this? No offense to some of the guys and girls who have substituted and done a great job. It all comes through when you watch NBA coverage, compare Shaq, Charles, Kenny and Ernie to Greenburg and Stephan A. Yeah, sorry you can't. (Feel sorry for Wilbon and Jalen)
I do watch PTI and remember when ESPN had a great lineup of announcers. Don't know what happened in the last 5 to 10 years. Maybe when Disney took over and suits who ran amusement parks and making movies decided they could run a sports network is the problem.
Why does Scott Van Pelt have his own sport center hour, it should be a crew of two, he's not special!
I'm trying to figure out something from these charts but it doesn't add up. Maybe it's on another page or chart.
What is the DAYTIME/DAYPART WEEKDAY average for ESPN in these timeframes?
I would love to compare them to the other sports networks. We have PRIMETIME numbers here but trying to subtract from the overall but the numbers aren't working out since they're listed as averages.
All these comments about race but ESPN is racist lol Fox News is racist af but I bet that doesn't bother none of you
CNN is the biggest racist to Latinos and use us for their own agenda. Molly Q should go she is annoying AF with her condescending tone uhg!
Explain.. how is it racist?
I will watch ESPN games or other sports events but not many live sports talk shows anymore due to too many politically-based topics. I do like PTI, Undisputed, Inside the NBA (w/the two kings of trash talk), and KJM. I stopped watching & listening to Steven A last year. I think he became a media Diva before Aron Rogers did by his frequent shaming-dissing many radio callers or his co-hosts. I could see the tension on First Take in 2019 and knew a divorce with Max was coming.
Congrats, ESPN! I haven't watched you for a year. Thought I'd try again, and right away, I see the shows vaccine-shaming Aaron Rodgers and going on a diatribe about their political beliefs. Goodbye, forever.
Signed...a former sports junkie who has rediscovered the great outdoors, movies, and books!
I stopped watching ESPN years ago cuz they are a racist network that won't say anything about white players but will talk about black players all day everyday.matt Patricia got indicted for rape in college ESPN didn't say shit while he coached the lions but could bring up kobe and Colorado the day after he died.peyton Manning put his nuts on his female trainer face ESPN didn't say anything.barely talked about big ben haven't brung it up since.
I haven't watched ESPN in about 4 years and gave up sports completely last year. I occasionally like to search for tv ratings. I will say this. The only way to make any changes is for most of us to stop giving them ratings.
Why do SOME folk come on here with the BET remarks, Liberal remarks, and or other hints at it being too black? I do not like ESPN because Stephen A. and other top shows suck. Has nothing to do with race, religion, or politics. Those are all excuses to be racist.
And so, if someone who's Black and has been Black his entire life, and is not only married to a Black woman but has been espoused to three Black women altogether (not, of course, at the same time but on account of divorces), and is father to two Black girls that are his undisputed pride and joy in life, does not particularly enjoy being lectured at every time he tunes into ESPN, especially when those social-justice didactics seem malformulated and based on a substantial degree of outright ignorance, and so decides to protest against it, citing it by name, he must be racist, according to this line of thinking. Any protest against being accused of being a racist is just further proof that you're racist, I guess.
I agree there. Steven is just kind of a jerk it has nothing to do with race or anything no need for the other remarks.