If ESPN Overwatch ratings are any indication, E-Sports has yet to resonate on linear television.
The Overwatch League Grand Finals averaged 289,000 viewers across ESPN’s various platforms over the weekend, including replay broadcasts on ESPN2 and ABC, according to Sports Business Daily. Coverage was also available via the Amazon service Twitch, with the average audience on that platform just shy of 180,000.
ESPN’s live coverage last Friday had 188,000 viewers, ranking as the network’s least-watched original program of the day. It was one of only two programs with fewer than 200,000 viewers, joining The Basketball Tournament game that followed (191K).
Head-to-head, Overwatch edged The Basketball Tournament on ESPN2 (147K) and nearly doubled BIG3 basketball on FS1 (105K).
By comparison, the inaugural E-League telecast on TBS had 255,000 viewers in 2016.
A Sunday recap show on ABC had a 0.23 rating and 328,000 viewers, easily the lowest rated and least-watched sporting event on broadcast last weekend.
Within those minuscule numbers were some bright spots. According to Sports Business Daily, 45% of the overall average audience was within the adults 18-34 demographic.
This weekend marked the first ESPN telecast in a multi-year deal between Disney and Overwatch owner Blizzard Entertainment. Under the deal, announced earlier this month, ESPN/ABC and Disney XD will carry Overwatch League events through at least next year.
ESPN Viewership on Friday
[Numbers from Sports Business Daily 7.31, E-Sports Observer 7.31, ShowBuzz Daily 7.30, 7.31, ESPN.com 7.11]
What the heck is this? I’m confused…
E-Sports — the players compete against each other in video games.
its simple. espn doesnt have a clue and is just fishing for cheap ratings. thing is, ANYONE watching gamers isnt going to do it on regular tv. or maybe the dopes at espn dont know about twitch and youtube.