ESPN’s broadcast of the 2014 NFL Draft was the network’s highest-rated NFL Draft telecast since 1993.
The 2014 NFL Draft had a 2.7 US rating, a 31 percent increase from 2013 and a 35 percent increase from 2012. There were 4,121,000 viewers, a 36 percent increase from 2013 (3,035,000) and a 41 percent gain from 2012 (2,924,000). The NFL Draft matched the rating of the Sunday 1993 NFL Draft telecast, which also averaged a 2.7 rating.
The first round in the Draft averaged 9,943,00 viewers and a 6.1 rating. This rating made it ESPN’s most-viewed NFL Draft in 35 years of presenting the event. Rounds 2-3 averaged 3,155,00 viewers and a rating of 2.2. The remaining 3.5 hours of the draft were broadcast on ESPN2’s and averaged a total of 1.9 rating when combined with ESPN’s broadcast. Rounds 4-7 delivered a 1.5 US rating and averaged 1,962,00 viewers.
The top metered markers for the Draft were New Orleans (5.6 rating), Cleveland (5.6), Birmingham, Ala. (5.3), Buffalo (4.8), Greenville, S.C. (4.8), Houston (4.5), Dayton (4.2), Columbus, Ohio (4.1), Austin (4.1) and Cincinnati (4.0).