ESPY Awards draw record 7.7 million viewers on ABC
Honoree Caitlyn Jenner accepts the Arthur Ashe Courage Award onstage during The 2015 ESPYS at Microsoft Theater on July 15, 2015 in Los Angeles. Credit: Getty Images / Kevin Winter
"The ESPYS'' averaged 7.7 million viewers on ABC Wednesday night, a record for the show and a 250-percent increase from last year on ESPN.
The rise was fueled in part by the move to broadcast television and in part by anticipation over an appearance by Caitlyn Jenner, who received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
It was the most-viewed program on a summer Wednesday for ABC since 2005.
Kansas City, which had the highest rating for Tuesday night's All-Star Game, also was the highest-rated market for the ESPYS at 8.4 percent of homes.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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