ESPN’s 10th Wimbledon – exclusive and all live – enjoyed an eight percent increase over its household audience last year through the first six days of marathon telecasts, highlighted by its biggest household audience ever in 10 years, for Saturday’s latest-ever finish at Wimbledon.
After six days, the ESPN/ESPN2 presentation is up eight percent in household impressions to 569,000 homes compared to ESPN2’s telecasts last year (based on a 0.5 US rating both years), according to Nielsen.
ESPN/ESPN2 are even with last year’s ESPN2/NBC rating of 0.5 (US rtg) to date. Nevertheless, the audiences for the key male demos are all seeing an advantage over last year — M18-34 is up 13 percent, M18-49 is up 20 percent, and M25-54 is up 11 percent.
On Saturday, the ten-hour, ten-minute ESPN telecast (the third longest Wimbledon telecast ever, behind only an ESPN2 telecast in 2010 and Day One this year) – earned a 0.9 US rating, the best for the “middle Saturday” since 2007 (1.0). The ESPN coverage rating of 1.0 ties the ESPN Wimbledon record (two previous 1.0 ratings: ESPN2 on July 4, 2007 for the Ladies’ Quarterfinals, and ESPN on July 4, 200 for a Gentlemen’s Semifinal). The telecast ended with Andy Murray’s victory over Marcos Baghdatis in the latest-ever finish at Wimbledon (11:02 p.m. in London).
Digital consumption of Wimbledon action on ESPN3 and WatchESPN through six days has soared over the usage a year ago. Through the first week of Wimbledon, there was a total of 46.6 million live minutes consumed across all platforms (computer, smartphone, tablet and Xbox), up 67 percent from 2011 through the same point.
Looking Forward
The ESPN / ESPN2 “Cross Court Coverage” – an unprecedented approach whereby ESPN focuses on Centre Court matches while ESPN2 offers fans a “grounds pass” with action from Court 1 and other courts – will continue with all-day marathons on both networks today, Tuesday, and Wednesday, July 4.
ESPN will present the semifinals and finals live Thursday – Sunday. All four days will commence with the one-hour Breakfast at Wimbledon, hosted by Hannah Storm. ABC will reair the finals on the day they take place, July 7 and 8, at 3 p.m. ET.
All the action on ESPN and ESPN2 is also available through WatchESPN online at WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. ESPN 3D will televise live the final five days of action from Centre Court beginning with the men’s quarterfinals Wednesday, July 4.
The new schedule is the result of a 12-year agreement between ESPN and the All England Lawn Tennis Club announced just after the conclusion of the 2011 Championships. The remaining schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Network | |
| Wed, July 4 | 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Quarterfinals | ESPN2 / ESPN3 | Live |
| 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Quarterfinals,
Centre Court |
ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| Thur, July 5 | 7 – 8 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Ladies’ Semifinals | ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| Fri, July 6 | 7 – 8 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Semifinals | ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| Sat, July 7 | 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Ladies’ Final | ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| 3 – 6 p.m. | Ladies’ Final | ABC | Tape | |
| Sun, July 8 | 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Final | ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| 3 – 6 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Final | ABC | Tape |
ESPN – All Four Slams, All In One Place
Tennis has been part of ESPN since its first week on the air and provided many memorable moments, but it has never been as important as today, with the US Open joining the lineup in 2009, giving ESPN all four Grand Slam events, something no other U.S. network has ever done, let alone in one year. ESPN has presented the Australian Open since 1984, the French Open since 2002 (plus 1986 – 1993), and Wimbledon since 2003, with exclusivity for live television with all other rights extended in a 12-year agreement starting in 2012.
ESPN debuted September 7, 1979, and the first tennis telecast was exactly one week later, September 14, a Davis Cup tie, Argentina at U.S. from Memphis with Cliff Drysdale on the call and John McEnroe playing.
In addition, broadband network ESPN3, now in nearly 72 million homes, carries thousands of hours of tennis annually, including all four Grand Slam events, plus ATP 1000 and 500 tournaments and WTA Premier Events, and season-ending championships for both tours. Also, ESPN Classic shows great matches from the past and the sport receives extensive coverage on SportsCenter, ESPNEWS, Spanish-language ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. ESPN 3D aired its first tennis at Wimbledon in 2011.
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