Ratings Roundup: ESPN Secures Top Viewed Second Round Game 4 of Stanley Cup on Cable; NBA Draft Lottery Viewership Up 23%

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week's edition, the most-watched college softball regular season on record for ESPN with more than 2 billion minutes of coverage consumed; First Take reunion of Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless spikes viewership by 24% and more.

ESPN Scores Most-Consumed College Softball Regular Season on Record

The 2026 college softball regular season was one for the books as ESPN scored its most-consumed season on record with more than 2 billion minutes of game coverage consumed across its networks.

Additionally, the season averaged 292,000 viewers, becoming ESPN's most-watched college softball regular season since 2009. The season finished up 78% compared to the 2025 regular season.

The 2026 campaign featured four of ESPN's eight most-watched regular season games of all-time and delivered a record-high 10 games with more than 500,000 viewers.

2026 Top Regular Season College Softball Games Across ESPN Networks:

Date Time (ET) Network Game Viewers

Apr 19 Noon ESPN No. 5 Texas at No. 13 Georgia 725,000

Apr 11 8 p.m. ESPN No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Texas 700,000

May 2 Noon ESPN No. 8 Florida at No. 14 Georgia 677,000

Mar 29 Noon ESPN No. 3 Oklahoma at No. 20 LSU 618,000

Apr 12 Noon ESPN No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Texas 581,000

*Rankings reflected for the date of the game

Championship Saturday

SEC Championship:

Texas vs. Alabama scored 847,000 viewers on May 9, making it ESPN's most-watched SEC Championship game since 2015 and the second-best on record

The matchup ranks as the most-watched game this season and peaked with 970,000 viewers

The two semifinal games finished up 63% year-over-year, averaging 550,000 viewers

The semifinal between Georgia and Texas delivered 613,000 viewers, ranking as ESPN's sixth-best game of 2026

Big 12 Championship:

Arizona State-Texas Tech registered 597,000 viewers on May 9, marking the most-watched Big 12 Championship game on record

ACC Championship:

Virginia Tech vs. Florida State drew 589,000 viewers, ESPN's most-watched ACC Championship ever

Selection Sunday

The NCAA Softball Selection Special Presented by Capital One finished up 27% year-over-year with an average of 327,000 viewers

7Innings Live Selection Special Presented by Capital One nearly doubled its viewership from the 2025 show (170,000 viewers)

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless Reunion Boosts Viewership for First Take

The reunion of Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless on ESPN's First Take was a hit with viewers, according to Front Office Sports. Bayless's first appearance with Smith on First Take in a decade averaged 647,000 viewers, according to Nielsen's Big Data Panel ratings system. That's up 24% from the weekday show's average viewership from January-May 2026 (520,800) and up 44% from the corresponding episode on May 9, 2025.

ESPN Earns Top-Viewed Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round Game 4 on Cable

On Monday, May 11th, 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs action continued with Second Round action on ESPN. The Colorado Avalanche-Minnesota Wild Game 4 averaged 2.4 million viewers (up 104% vs. ESPN's Second Round Game 4 average last year), earning ESPN's best-performing Game 4 on cable.

Nielsen's Top 25 Live Sports Events Telecasts (May 4-May 10)

The NBA playoffs netted 12 of the Top 25 spots this week (and 10 of the top 10). NBC's coverage of Game 4 of the San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves second round series was the most watched live sports event of the week, delivering 6.59 million viewers on Sunday, May 10.

#2 Lakers vs. Thunder Game 3 on May 9 (ABC)

#3 Knicks vs. 76ers Game 4 on May 10 (ABC)

#4 Spurs vs. Timberwolves Game 3 on May 8 (PRIME)

#5 Lakers vs. Thunder Game 1 on May 5 (NBC)

#6 Knicks vs. Sixers Game 2 on May 6 (ESPN)

#7 Lakers vs. Thunder Game 2 on May 7 (PRIME)

#8 Knicks vs. Sixers Game 1 on May 4 (NBC)

#9 Timberwolves vs. Spurs Game 2 on May 6 (ESPN)

#10 Knicks vs. Sixers Game 3 on May 8 (PRIME)

#11 Pistons vs. Cavaliers Game 3 on May 9 (NBC)

#12 Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2 on May 7 (PRIME)

The NHL Playoffs iced 8 spots in the Top 25 this week

#15 Flyers vs. Hurricanes Game 2 on May 4 (ESPN)

#17 Wild vs. Avalanche Game 2 on May 5 (ESPN)

#18 Sabres vs Canadiens Game 3 on May 10 (ESPN)

#19 Hurricanes vs. Flyers Game 4 on May 10 (TNT TRUTV)

#20 Hurricanes vs. Flyers Game 3 on May 7 (TNT TRUTV)

#21 Avalanche vs. Wild Game 3 on May 9 (TNT TRUTV)

#24 Canadiens vs. Sabres Game 1 on May 6 (TNT TRUTV)

#25 Golden Knights vs. Ducks Game 4 on May 10 (ESPN)

CBS's coverage of the final round of the PGA Tour's Truist Championship aced 2 spots in the Top 25 this week.

#13 Final Round 3.38 million

#16- Third Round- 2.26 million

ABC's coverage of the WNBA's Wings vs. Fever secured the #14 spot in the Top 25 ranker this week.

FOX Sports 1's coverage of the the NASCAR Cup Series from Watkins Glen placed #22 this week in the Top 25.

FOX's MLB coverage on May 9 drove home the #23 spot in the Top 25.

Regional Game: Cardinals vs. Padres

Regional Game: Mets vs. Diamondbacks

Viewership for 2026 NBA Draft Lottery Presentation on ABC up 23% Year Over Year

ESPN's presentation of the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday, May 10, on ABC averaged 2.3 million viewers, up 23% year over year, marking the most watched NBA Draft Lottery since 2023.

ESPN will exclusively present the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23, with the First Round airing at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN, followed by the Second Round on June 24 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

ESPN Networks Delivered Second Most-Watched WNBA Regular-Season Game Ever with Dallas Wings vs Indiana Fever on May 9

Saturday's Opening Weeke

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/05/15/ratings-roundup-espn-secures-to...
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