National Football League

NFL draft gets its 2nd-highest television audience

Published Apr. 27, 2012 6:18 p.m. ET

foxsports

The first round of the NFL draft averaged 6.66 million viewers on ESPN, up 11 percent from last year and the second-highest audience since 7.29 million tuned in two years ago.

ESPN said Friday it had a 5.1 fast national rating, according to figures from Nielsen Media Research, a 16 percent increase from last year's 3.8. The network has televised the draft since 1980.

The NFL said the combined rating of 5.28 on ESPN and the NFL network was up 18 percent over last year's 4.46. It also said the combined two-network average of 8.1 million viewers was 16 percent from last year's 7 million.