ESPN's WrestleMania Linear Simulcast Averages 1.72M, Outpacing Smackdown
ESPN's first live linear broadcast of WWE's WrestleMania 42 averaged 1.72 million viewers across simulcast windows on ESPN and ESPN2. The first hour of Night 2 on ESPN averaged 1.82 million viewers, higher than a typical WWE Smackdown episode on USA Network. These figures do not include viewers on the ESPN Unlimited streaming service, for which WWE events are considered a key driver for new subscriptions.
Key Takeaways
- The weekend broadcast of WrestleMania 42 averaged 1.72 million viewers across simulcasts on ESPN and ESPN2.
- Viewership for the first hour of Night 2 peaked at 1.82 million on ESPN, above the 1.33 million 10-week average for WWE Smackdown on USA Network.
- The reported viewership numbers do not include audiences watching on the ESPN Unlimited streaming platform, where the full event was available.
- ESPN's deal for WWE's Premium Live Events is reportedly valued at $325 million per year, with these events positioned as a key driver for ESPN Unlimited subscriptions.
Why It Matters
The linear viewership provides a solid baseline for WWE's audience on ESPN, proving the simulcast can outperform weekly cable programming like Smackdown. However, these figures are secondary to the core strategy. The true measure of success for ESPN's reported $325M annual investment is not linear ratings but new subscriber acquisition for the ESPN Unlimited streaming service. WWE events are the main content exclusives aimed at attracting cord-cutters. The key data point to watch is whether ESPN cites WrestleMania as a significant driver of subscriber additions to ESPN Unlimited in its next quarterly report.
Read full article at msn.com
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