ESPN Sees Best 2nd Quarter in Network History

The ESPN networks averaged a larger audience in the second quarter than ever before, boosted by a record June for ESPN. The combination of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPNU and ESPN Deportes averaged 1,130,000 households in the quarter (March 29 - June 27), an increase of two percent over last year (1,105,000).

In June, the ESPN network set a new mark with a 24-hour average of 817,000 homes, up 24 percent from 2009 (659,000) and breaking the record set a year earlier (673,000). The month was boosted by the performance of 36 World Cup matches, including ESPN's most-watched ever (U.S. vs. Algeria, June 23), as well as The Masters and the first-ever prime-time NFL Draft. In addition, ESPN2's total-day audience was up 8 percent (from 294,000 to 317,000 homes), and ESPNEWS was up 12 percent (from 55,000 to 62,000 homes).