2008 Home Run Derby Most-Viewed Ever

Monday night’s ESPN telecast of the 2008
State Farm Home Run Derby – held at Yankee Stadium in its final season –
averaged a 6.4 rating and 6,184,000 household impressions to become the
most-viewed Home Run Derby ever among households (5,718,000 households in 1999
was the previous record). The Derby led ESPN to win the night – cable and
broadcast – among viewers, Men 18-34, Men 18-49, Men 25-54, Adults 18-34, Adults
18-49 and Adults 25-54.

Additionally, the Derby is the highest-rated
and most-viewed ad-supported cable program in 2008 to date (CNN’s Democratic
Debate, January 31, 2008, was the previous high – 5,918,000 households). The
telecast was ESPN’s most-viewed non-NFL program among households since 2006
(Florida State vs. Miami, college football, September 5, 2006 –
6,240,000 households).
This year’s Home Run Derby is up 35 percent over last year in viewers
(6,778,000), 29 percent in households (4,778,000 in 2007), and 25 percent in
rating (5.1 last year). The
telecast included Texas’ Josh Hamilton hitting
a record 28 home runs in the first round before falling to Minnesota’s Justin
Morneau in the finals.
The Taco Bell Legends and Celebrity Softball Game, which aired on ESPN
immediately following the Home Run Derby, earned a 2.5 rating, 2,436,000
households and an average of 3,303,000 viewers. It was the largest audience for the
event since 2002 (2,844,000 households; 4,033,000 viewers). This year’s telecast was the
most-watched program on ad-supported cable in its time period in viewers,
households, Men 18-34, Men 18-49, Men 25-54, Adults 18-49 and Adults
25-54.

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