ESPN and NFL Network reported huge ratings spikes in their coverage of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
The first round drew the networks’ highest major-market television rating ever for the event as the two networks combined for an 8.64 overnight Nielsen rating, with ESPN accounting for 6.8 of that. ESPN announced via Twitter that Thursday night’s viewership was 48 percent higher than last year’s first-round coverage. NFL Network wrote via Twitter that its rating was 50 percent higher than in 2013.
This is the first year the NFL held the draft in May after traditionally having it in April.
Brad Adgate, director of research at Horizon Media, attributed the increase to an interest in where former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel would get selected. Manziel fell to the Cleveland Browns at No. 22.
“If he went in the top five, the viewership would be a lot lower than it was with him going No. 22,” Adgate said.
Cleveland led all television markets with a 13.0 rating. The Browns made three trades and took two players. Manziel was joined by cornerback Justin Gilbert at No. 8.
Manziel was projected to be taken anywhere from the top five to the bottom of the first round. He waited 2 1/2 hours to be chosen by Cleveland.
Among other sporting events the draft beat out Thursday night in the television ratings included the Portland Trail Blazers-San Antonio Spurs playoff game drawing a 2.7 rating on ESPN2, Miami Heat-Brooklyn Nets (2.6 on ESPN2), Boston Bruins-Montreal Canadiens (1.2 on NBCSN)
and Anaheim Ducks-Los Angeles Kings (0.7 on NBCSN).