ESPN’s daily studio programming capped a banner year in 2025, with several shows achieving their highest audience numbers ever and others posting multiyear highs, according to Nielsen data. The success helped make 2025 the network’s most-watched year since 2017.
Leading the charge, Get Up, First Take and The Pat McAfee Show each set new records for viewership. Get Up, hosted by Mike Greenberg, averaged 424,000 viewers, marking a 10% increase from 2024 and extending the show’s streak to four consecutive years of growth.
First Take, featuring Stephen A. Smith as executive producer and commentator, drew an average of 517,000 viewers, up 6% year-over-year. Meanwhile, The Pat McAfee Show, which debuted on ESPN in 2023, posted its most-watched year since launch, finishing up 8% across linear and digital platforms.
Other key studio programs also posted gains. The 7 a.m. edition of SportsCenter reached its highest audience since 2019, rising 5% from the prior year.
The 2–3 p.m. SportsCenter segment achieved a 20% increase, the largest since its debut in 2023 on ESPN. The 6 p.m. broadcast of SportsCenter, a longstanding flagship hour, delivered its best year in a decade, while the 11 p.m. edition posted its highest numbers since 2019.
Late-night SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt and the 1 a.m. edition also posted year-over-year gains, up 11% and notable in their respective time slots.
Other daily shows contributed to the overall growth.
NBA Today, hosted by Malika Andrews, recorded its best performance since 2018 with a 16% increase, while NFL Live, led by Laura Rutledge, saw its highest audience since 2016, up 18%. The program also experienced strong demographic growth during football season, with viewership among youth (P2-17) up 78% and female viewers rising 48%.
Pardon the Interruption (PTI) averaged 679,000 viewers in 2025, marking its best year since 2019 and a 5% increase over the previous year.
The year ended on a high note in December, with holiday-period viewership reflecting the yearlong momentum. Get Up, The Pat McAfee Show, and the 2 p.m. SportsCenter achieved their best December ratings ever.
First Take, PTI, the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. editions of SportsCenter all posted notable year-over-year gains for the month, some exceeding 40%. Several of these programs also reached multiyear highs during the holiday period. All metrics were measured using Nielsen Big Data and Panel data.
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