ESPN grew its linear audience for a sixth straight year in fiscal 2026. Total viewers rose 10% across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC.
What We Know: Specifically, ESPN and ESPN on ABC each rose 11%, while ESPN2 climbed 3%. The fiscal year ran from September 28, 2025, to October 3, 2026. During that span, ESPN networks captured 31% of all sports viewing. That share put the network nine points ahead of FOX Sports and 13 ahead of NBCUniversal.
What The Data Shows: (All data via ESPN PR)
TOP 10 EVENTS ESPN NETWORKS FY 2026
| Program | Date | AVG VIEWERSHIP (P2+) |
|---|---|---|
| NFL Playoffs: Texans/Patriots | 1/18/2026 | 37,908,000 |
| NFL Playoffs: Texans/Steelers | 1/12/2026 | 29,088,000 |
| CFP: Miami/Indiana | 1/19/2026 | 28,880,000 |
| NBA Finals: Knicks/Spurs G5 | 6/13/2026 | 24,540,000 |
| CFP QF: Alabama/Indiana | 1/1/2026 | 23,931,000 |
| NFL Reg Ssn: Broncos/Chiefs | 9/14/2026 | 23,234,000 |
| NBA Finals: Spurs/Knicks G3 | 6/8/2026 | 22,688,000 |
| NFL Reg Ssn: Eagles/Bears | 9/28/2026 | 22,591,000 |
| NFL Reg Ssn: Chiefs/Jaguars | 10/6/2025 | 22,265,000 |
| NBA Finals: Spurs/Knicks G4 | 6/10/2026 | 20,943,000 |
What Remains Unclear: However, the release never reveals the family of networks average viewers for the full year all in. Moreover, without that figure, the 10% gain lacks a clear baseline.
What It Means: Ultimately, ESPN keeps proving that live sports still anchor linear TV. Big moments helped, including a network-record 37.9-million-viewer NFL playoff game and the most-viewed NBA Finals since 1998. Furthermore, female viewership rose 14% and now accounts for 34% of ESPN viewing. Moreover, combined with 239.4 million monthly cross-platform users, ESPN enters FY27 with real momentum.
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