ESPN’s studio programming delivered a banner month in May. Combined studio shows jumped 27% in viewership over May 2025 and rose 11% year-over-year among adults 18-49.
What We Know: Five shows recorded their best May ever. Get Up averaged 487K viewers, up 38% YOY. First Take drew 564K, up 18%. The Pat McAfee Show pulled 412K across linear and digital, up 25%. NBA Today surged 42% to 398K, fueled by the NBA Playoffs. The 6 p.m. SportsCenter averaged 546K, up 40%. PTI led all studio shows with 703K viewers, its best May since 2019. NFL Live posted its most-watched May since 2014, averaging 436K, up 32%.
What The Numbers Show: (May 2026 is considered by Nielsen as April 27 – May 31, and May, 2026, was a five-week month while May, 2025, was a four-week month. Year-over-year comparisons are to the full month of May, 2025. All metrics are based on Nielsen Big Data + Panel and YouTube Analytics)
| Show/Program | Average Viewership (May 2026) | % Lift Year Over Year |
|---|---|---|
| Get Up | 487K | +38% |
| First Take | 564K | +18% |
| The Pat McAfee Show | 412K (Linear + Digital) | +25% |
| NBA Today (M-F 3pm) | 398K | +42% |
| SportsCenter (6pm) | 546K | +40% |
| NFL Live (M-F 4pm) | 436K | +32% |
| Pardon the Interruption | 703K | +17% |
| SportsCenter (7am) | 326K | +41% |
| SportsCenter (2pm) | 342K | +55% |
| SportsCenter (5pm) | 454K | +20% |
| SportsCenter (1am) | 418K | +9% |
| SportsCenter AM (Saturday) | 500K | +29% |
| SportsCenter AM (Sunday) | 471K | +52% |
| SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt | 626K | +10% |
Notable Milestones
| Show/Program | Achievement |
|---|---|
| SportsCenter (6pm) | Best May viewership ever |
| NFL Live | Most-watched May since 2014 |
| Pardon the Interruption | Most-watched May since 2019 |
What Remains Unclear: As the NBA playoffs took center stage in May, key shows that saw rises month to month include Get Up, First Take, NBA Today and the 6pm SportsCenter. Pardon the Interruption and NFL Live saw slight declines month to month but still saw year over year growth. Moreover, as the calendar creeps closer to the one-year installment of Big Data + Panel, it’s remains a mystery how the numbers will compare year over year at that time.
What It Means: ESPN’s studio programming is on a sustained upward trajectory compared to figures last year that did not include the Nielsen Big Data + Panel figures. It is interesting to see a dip in PTI viewership month to month during the time of the NBA playoffs. Also, the network has not released any viewership data of Inside the NBA and how it compares year over year to the network’s NBA Countdown programming last year airing during the NBA postseason.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
