ESPN’s live coverage of the opening day of the 2012-13 Premier League soccer season saw a 48% increase in the number of TV viewers compared to its average last season. The live broadcast of Arsenal against Sunderland was seen by 476,000 viewers on ESPN in the United States, which was significantly greater than the 321,000 average for Premier League broadcasts on ESPN and ESPN2 last season.
The 10am ET Saturday August 18 broadcast of Arsenal versus Sunderland garnered a 0.4 rating.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s second live broadcast of the 2012-13 Premier League season, featuring Everton against Manchester United, was watched by 315,000 viewers. The match, which kicked off at 3pm ET on a Monday, scored a 0.3 rating. The game was also shown on ESPN Deportes where 107,000 viewers watched, recording a 1.9 hispanic household rating.
