ESPN delivered its strongest first-quarter primetime audience on record, driven by a packed schedule of major sporting events across multiple leagues.
The network averaged 2.5 million viewers in primetime during January, February and March, marking a 10% increase year-over-year. Across the full day, ESPN averaged 937,000 viewers, up 8% compared to the same period in 2025.
A combination of high-profile properties helped fuel the surge, including the NFL playoffs, College Football Playoff matchups, regular-season college basketball, NHL games and NBA coverage. January stood out as one of the network’s strongest months ever, while February and March reached their highest levels since 2019.
ESPN2 also benefited from the broader sports calendar, posting its best first quarter since 2019.
NFL and multi-league programming driving growth
The NFL Wild Card and Divisional rounds were key contributors, continuing to demonstrate the league’s outsized influence on U.S. sports media consumption. Alongside college football’s postseason and the steady cadence of NBA and NHL games, ESPN maintained consistent viewership across a diverse programming mix.
This multi-property approach remains central to ESPN’s strategy, allowing the network to balance seasonal spikes with year-round content engagement.
PGA Tour and NBC see strong golf numbers
Golf also delivered notable results. NBC averaged 3 million viewers for the final round of the Valero Texas Open, marking the event’s second-best Sunday audience since 1999. Only the 2021 edition performed better, drawing 3.4 million viewers.
The result underscores the continued draw of PGA Tour events when competitive finishes align with established broadcast windows.
Streaming platforms show steady traction
Streaming continues to carve out a growing share of sports viewership. Prime Video attracted 1.6 million viewers for a Lakers vs. Thunder matchup, representing its strongest NBA audience this season outside of special event games.
While traditional broadcasters still dominate overall viewership, digital platforms are increasingly competitive for marquee matchups, particularly in the NBA.
College basketball and secondary properties gain momentum
CBS Sports also reported strong numbers for the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship, which drew 1.17 million viewers, a significant increase from the previous year. The figure marks the best audience for the game since 2022, highlighting growing interest in niche collegiate competitions when distributed on major networks.
Additionally, the debut of Professional Bowlers Association coverage on CBS attracted 672,000 viewers, indicating modest but notable traction for alternative sports content in linear television slots.
Broader trend: depth of sports portfolio matters
The data points to a broader trend in sports media: networks with diversified portfolios spanning multiple leagues and competitions are best positioned to maximize audience reach.
ESPN’s record Q1 performance reflects not just the strength of individual events, but the cumulative effect of having consistent, high-value programming across the calendar — a model that continues to define success in the evolving sports media landscape.