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ESPN 2024: Up Big at the Half

Feature

July 1, 2024

| Rich Arden

Full Speed Ahead

Six months into 2024 and ESPN hasn’t taken its foot off the gas. As July opens, take some time to appreciate the moments and milestones of a meaningful 180 days. And buckle up for the second half!

 

Click on milestones for more information.

2024

January

1

Fourth most-watched day in ESPN’s near 45-year history (averaging 8.5M viewers)

4

New eight-year NCAA rights agreement for 40 championship events annually

9

ESPN concludes MNF’s most-watched season in 23 years

10

ESPN scores the CFP’S highest viewership in five years

13

ESPN Events hosts the inaugural two-day Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad, adding women’s gymnastics to its portfolio

20

Texans-Ravens Playoff game delivers ESPN’s most-watched NFL game (32M Viewers)

30

Men’s & Women’s Australian Open Semifinals combined are most-viewed since 2017

31

most-watched month for Get Up, First Take and The Pat McAfee Show

31

ESPN Digital concludes best January ever (121.7M unique visitors)

31

ESPN Deportes reaches a long-term deal for domestic Spanish-language rights for Caribbean Series baseball

2024

February

4

New agreement with NFL for the inaugural Girls and Boys NFL Flag Championships

6

ESPN announces new Joint Venture with Fox and WBD (Venu Sports)

7

Bob Iger announces Fall 2025 launch for ESPN flagship

7

Recently-retired legendary coach Nick Saban joins ESPN’s College GameDay

18

NHL Stadium Series game most-watched regular-season game since NHL returned to ESPN (1.6M viewers)

29

ESPN Digital caps its best February on record (103.4M unique visitors)

2024

March

9

ESPN presents the innovative Big City Greens Classic 2 live

11

ESPN BET launches in North Carolina

12

ESPN concludes its most-watched WCBB regular season since 2008-09

16

ESPN kicks off its new NWSL agreement with the inaugural match at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City

19

ESPN reaches exclusive long-term extension with expanded CFP thru 2031-32 season

20

ESPN original reporting delves into allegations against Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter

20

ESPN televises the first-ever MLB games from Korea (Seoul Series)

22

ESPN Tournament Men’s Challenge shatters all-time record for completed brackets (22.6M)

25

ESPN announces deal with NESN where fans can access games via a link in the ESPN App/ESPN.com

29

ESPN’s new Women’s Basketball studio team of Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike and Andraya Carter debuts

2024

April

1

Iowa/LSU NCAA Women’s Elite 8 delivers most-watched CBB Game to date on ESPN platforms (12.3M viewers)

5

Largest SportsCenter with SVP audience ever with (6.3M Viewers Post-Women’s Final Four)

6

UConn/Iowa National Semifinal sets record for the most-watched CBB Game to date on ESPN (14.4M viewers)

9

Iowa/South Carolina National Championship most-watched CBB game on record (18.9M viewers)

10

ESPN reaches long-term extension with Omaha Productions to continue MNF with Peyton and Eli

11

ESPN platforms present largest Thurs./Fri. audience for the Masters Tournament since 2018

13

UFC 300 sets viewership records and is the most-watched UFC PPV

15

ESPN delivers the largest audience ever for WNBA Draft (2.4M viewers)

24

THE FIRST ESPN BET-BRANDED sportsbook and restaurant opens in Detroit

25

Coach Bill Belichick debuts as an analyst on ESPN during The Pat McAfee Show Draft Spectacular

30

ESPN concludes month with best April primetime audience on record

30

Get Up and First Take deliver most-watched April ever; The Pat McAfee Show up 37% YOY

2024

May

5

Miami Grand Prix (ABC) is largest live U.S. TV audience for F1 race (3.1M viewers)

11

Original Women’s Basketball Series Full Court Press debuts on ABC and ESPN+

14

Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut is most-watched WNBA game ever on ESPN (2.1M viewers) AND THE FIRST LIVE SPORTING EVENT EVER ON DISNEY+

14

Recently retired NFL star Jason Kelce signs with ESPN as an NFL analyst

21

ESPN wins eight Sports Emmys, including three for Toy Story Funday Football

22

ESPN earns Best in Sports Media at SBJ Sports Business Awards

2024

June

2

UFL regular season up 31% vs 2023 XFL/USFL full regular-season average cross all linear platforms

6

Doris Burke becomes the first woman to call any major U.S. men’s championship on TV (NBA Finals)

7

ESPN delivers most-watched NCAA Softball WCWS on record (2M viewers)

9

Dodgers/Yankees scores ESPN’s largest SNB audience in two years (2.3M viewers)

11

ESPN signs Shannon Sharpe to a new multi-year contract extension

24

The 2024 Men’s College World Series Finals were the 2nd most-watched on ESPN platforms on record

25

Stanley Cup Final Game 7 Viewership up 182% vs. Last Year’s Cup Final Clincher (Averaged 7.7M Viewers )

28

ESPN Digital and Social combined to reach 65% of U.S. adult population monthly (So Far this Year)