NFL draft’s 1st round averages 7.7 million viewers
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A general view is shown of Radio City Music Hall during the 2013 NFL Draft, Thursday, April 25, 2013 in New York. (AP Photo/Greg Payan)
A general view is shown of Radio City Music Hall during the 2013 NFL Draft, Thursday, April 25, 2013 in New York. (AP Photo/Greg Payan)
NEW YORK >> The first round of the NFL draft averaged 7.7 million viewers on ESPN and the NFL Network, drawing the third-highest audience for the opening round.
This year’s numbers trailed only the 8.3 million in 2010 and 8.1 million last year.
NFL Network’s coverage drew an average of 1.5 million viewers — a 7 percent increase over last year.
The NFL also said Friday the first round drew nearly double the viewership of second-most watched show on cable The History Channel’s “Swamp People” (4.0 million), and about triple the day’s most-watch sports event, the Clippers-Grizzlies broadcast on TNT (2.6 million).
