ESPN’s has potentially been dealt a tough ratings blow very early during Wimbledon.
The network celebrated the biggest audience in it’s 22-year history of broadcasting the tournament.
Coco Gauff suffered a shock first-round exit at Wimbledon[/caption]
She followed fellow American Jessica Pegula out on the same day[/caption]
But it was sent crashing back to earth with the two leading American players suffering shock losses.
ESPN’s broadcast on Monday averaged 539,000 viewers, a 37 per cent increase on day one of the 2024 tournament.
Tuesday began with a shocker when No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula lost her first-round clash.
Pegula was swept aside 6-2 6-3 by Elisabetta Cocciaretto in a match that finished before America even woke up.
Later in the day, No. 2 seed Coco Gauff suffered the same fate.
She was beaten by Dayana Yastremska 7-6 6-1 in late night drama under the roof in London.
Gauff recently added the French Open title to her 2023 US Open championship.
That win over Aryna Sabalenka in Paris, France, earlier this summer earned TNT an average US audience of 1.47 million viewers.
But the early exits for the No. 2 and No. 3 seeding Americans have led to fears for ESPN’s ratings.
Analyst Joe Pompliano said, “ESPN can’t be happy with the early results at Wimbledon.
“Americans Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Frances Tiafoe have all lost to unseeded players.
“Maybe another Alcaraz-Sinner final can save them.”
While Front Office Sports reported, “If there are no deep runs by homegrown contenders, the early exits could hurt TV ratings for ESPN—which holds the tournament’s U.S. media rights.”
ESPN’s nightmare could’ve been worse if the leading American male Taylor Fritz also went out.
No. 5 seed Fritz has come through two late-night five-set battles in London already.
Madison Keys is the leading American female left in the draw at No. 6 seed.
ESPN signed a 12-year extension in 2021 to broadcast The Championships until 2035.
The deal was worth a reported $400 million.
This year’s singles finals were also pushed back into a more US-friendly time slot.
Both games will begin at 4 pm local time in London, 11 am ET.
Previously they began at 2 pm, which meant a 9 am ET start time for viewers on the East Coast.
