Early Ratings For New ESPN2 Programs Off To Modest Start

(From Sports Business Daily)

ESPN2's ESPN HOLLYWOOD is averaging a 0.2 CABLE NIELSEN RATING through five shows, FLAT compared to programming that aired in the same time period for the 6-8 weeks prior to the show's debut, but DOWN 33.3% compared to a 0.3 AVERAGE for THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER hour-long re-airings in 2004.

Meanwhile, ESPN2's QUITE FRANKLY WITH STEPHEN A. SMITH has AVERAGED A 0.2 (197,000 HOUSEHOLDS) through 15 episodes, DOWN from a 0.3 (249,000 HOUSEHOLDS) from the time slot's July 2005 AVERAGE. But VIEWERSHIP AMONG MALES 18-34, 18-48 and 25-54 IS UP 22.0%, 7.1% and 4.4%, respectively.

In NEW YORK, BOB RAISSMAN notes A PRINT AND TV AD for ESPN HOLLYWOOD features a picture of YANKEES Shortstop DEREK JETER and the blacked-out silhouette of a woman with the text, "JET-SETTING JETER! A NIGHT ON THE TOWN WITH NYC's MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR."

YANKEES Director of Media Relations RICK CERRONE said, "This is very puzzling and troubling. I'm totally befuddled that ESPN would position one of its shows as A LOW-RENT TABLOID. In the ad they insinuate they are out with JETER, with his permission, or they are following him. Give me a break. Neither is true."

Cerrone added of ESPN HOLLYWOOD, "I've had players say to me -- 'Don't ever ask me to do anything for them.'"

But ESPN ORIGINAL ENTERTAINMENT Executive Producer MIKE ANTINORO noted JETER will appear in an upcoming segment on the show about THE MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELORS IN THEIR SPORTS and said, "Our goal with the advertisement was to GRAB PEOPLE and GET THEIR ATTENTION."

In MIAMI, BARRY JACKSON writes while viewers have seen the "loud, very opinionated, sometimes overbearing" Smith on QUITE FRANKLY, they have also seen "a more calm, thoughtful Smith."

Jackson writes of ESPN HOLLYWOOD, "It's questionable if there's enough MEATY MATERAL to sustain a 30-minute program five nights a week. Some pieces HAVE MERIT. But asking RAIDERS CHEERLEADERS their thoughts on THE RANDY MOSS TRADE -- AN INCREDIBLE WASTE OF TIME -- seemed to be ESPN's WAY OF JUSTIFYING SHOWING CLIPS FROM A RAIDERETTES PHOTO SHOOT."

Jackson writes of the 50 STATES IN 50 DAYS SPORTSCENTER TOUR -- "Now here's proof that GIMMICKS can work."