"Even if we shoot for a younger viewer, we figure they're going to have children," said Josh Krulewitz, a spokesman for ESPN.
One of the reasons that 'Survivor' did so well is because they promoted it on the MTV network, which helped attract a younger viewer".
Of course, the dominant individual host in prime time remained Bill O'Reilly on Fox News, whose numbers, just under three million total viewers and 438,000 in the younger viewer category, were not approached by any other host on any network.
But as with all these programmes, half the fun is in envisaging the younger viewer whose eye is caught and some sleeping part of his or her brain stirred and woken to think "Hmm, what's that now …?" and an embryonic Lucasian professor starts to hatch.
"Maybe I should be thinking about the younger viewer more, but we are just trying to come up with a program that gives our audience a clear picture of what is going on, and the graphic display is part of that," Mr. Bohrman said.
This kind of unique sports experience opens the door for brands (and major sports leagues) to engage an elusive younger viewer who is mobile and social savvy and looking for something new.
