US Open Ratings: ESPN2 Brings Fans to New York

via press release:

US Open Ratings: ESPN2 Brings Fans to New York

Through four days, ESPN2’s first-ever coverage of tennis’ US Open has brought more fans to the final Grand Slam event of the year.  The audience across the daily marathon 10+-hour telecasts is 13% larger than last year, up from an average of 584,000 households to 658,000, with larger increases for the key male demos – the audience of Men 18-34 is up 30% and Men 18-49 has risen 36%.  ESPN2 is averaging a 0.6 US household rating for 43.5 hours (up from the 40 hours scheduled due to late-running matches), up 20% from a 0.5 for 2008 to date.

The audience growth is larger in prime time.  ESPN2 has averaged a 0.8 US household rating, up 33% from 0.6, with an average of 918,000 homes, up 35% from 680,000.  Among Men 18-34, the increase in prime time is 24%, with a 41% rise for Men 18-49.

Compared to ESPN2’s programming for the same week last year, the daytime (1-7 p.m. ET) audience has more than doubled – an increase of 125%.  In prime time (7-11 p.m.), the US Open has almost tripled the network’s audience with a rise of 175%.

With programming on ESPN Radio, ESPN360.com, ESPNEWS and more – in addition to ESPN2’s 100 hours during the two-week tournament – ESPN is completing a Grand Slam, presenting all four of the sport’s majors, which no U.S. network has ever done before, let alone in a single year.

After tonight’s telecast, ESPN2 will resume with prime-time matches on Labor Day Monday, Sept 7, ESPN’s 30th Anniversary, and more marathon telecasts Tues., Sept. 8 – Thurs., Sept 10, starting each day at 11 a.m.