ESPN's Premier League debut draws in excess of 400,000 viewers

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ESPN made its English Premier League debut on Saturday afternoon, pulling in an audience of more than 400,000 for its coverage of Arsenal's 6-1 mauling of Everton, according to media agency sources.

For the Everton versus Arsenal game, sports broadcaster ESPN averaged 420,000 viewers on Saturday 15 August between 5.30pm and 7.15pm, according to media agency figures, including 94,000 viewers among the 16-34-year-old age group.

By comparison, Setanta's first televised game of last season, Liverpool's 1-0 victory over Sunderland, averaged 532,000 viewers between 5.30pm and 7.15pm.

Sky Sports' first live game of the new Premier League season, Chelsea's 2-1 defeat of Hull averaged 999,000 viewers between 1pm and 2.45pm, including 198,000 viewers among 16-34-year-olds.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports' coverage of Tottenham's 2-1 defeat of Liverpool averaged 1.5m viewers between 4pm and 5.45pm.

ESPN is understood to have paid about £250m to air 46 games for the 2009/2010 season and 23 games in each of the three following seasons.

Last month, BSkyB and ESPN struck a £65m deal with the Scottish Premier League to air 60 live Scottish Premier League matches each season across the UK and Ireland.


Source:mediaweek