The 2016 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship game experienced a significant audience increase on both ESPN2 and WatchESPN compared to the same event last season. North Carolina’s 14-13 overtime victory over No. 1 Maryland (Monday, May 30, at 1 p.m.) averaged 476,000 television viewers, a 43% increase from the 2015 men’s lacrosse season finale on ESPN2 featuring Maryland vs. Denver. Additionally, ESPN2 on WatchESPN, the Memorial Day game saw a 171% increase in total minutes, 131% increase in average minute audience, and a 96% increase in unique viewers over the Pioneers-Terrapins matchup from last season.
2016 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship Game Top Markets
| Rank | Market | Rating |
| 1 | Raleigh-Durham | 2.3 |
| 2 | Baltimore | 2.1 |
| 3 | Richmond-Petersburg | 1.6 |
| 4 | Philadelphia | 1.2 |
| Greensboro | 1.2 | |
| 6 | Cincinnati | 0.9 |
| Kansas City | 0.9 | |
| 8 | Boston | 0.7 |
| Washington, DC | 0.7 | |
| Norfolk | 0.7 |
2016 Men’s Lacrosse Championship Weekend
ESPN2’s telecast of the entire men’s lacrosse championship weekend beginning with the two semifinals on Saturday, May 28 (Noon and 2:30 p.m.) and then concluding with the previously mentioned championship game, averaged 306,000 viewers, a 13% increase over last year’s three-game championship weekend on ESPN2. On ESPN2 on WatchESPN, the Memorial Day weekend event saw a 110% increase in total minutes, 99% increase in average minute audience and a 70% increase in unique viewers over 2015’s championship weekend.
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Media contact: Derek Volner at 860-384-9986; Derek.Volner@ESPN.com and @DerekVolner
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