TV ratings for sports other than hockey

[LadyStanley]

Jets-Bills shatters ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Football’ viewership record

More than 22 million people watched Monday night’s game between the Jets and Bills, which set an ESPN record.

sports.yahoo.com

MNF new record. 22.64m. Up 15% from last season's mnf opener.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Thursday Night Football hits Amazon high in season debut

The second season of Amazon Thursday Night Football opened with a viewership high and across-the-board double-digit gains.

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Vikings-Eagles averaged a 7.1 rating and 15.05 million viewers on the season premiere of Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video, marking the largest TNF audience ever on the service (16 telecasts). Ratings increased 12% and viewership 16% from Chargers-Chiefs last year, Amazon’s TNF debut and the previous high (6.4, 13.03M). In addition to the Amazon high, the Eagles’ win ranks as the most-watched season premiere of TNF on any network since 2016 (Jets-Bills: 15.4M) — with the caveat that the opening game aired exclusively on NFL Network from 2017-21. Figures include local over-the-air simulcasts in both Philadelphia (1.10M) and Minneapolis-St. Paul (656K), meaning that 13.3 million watched through Prime Video.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Top Broadcast & Cable Sports Originals for Sunday, September 17 and Saturday, September 16, 2023

Jets/Cowboys topped the Sunday action and Deion dominated Saturday's college football slate.

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Weekly ratings: NFL, Deion and more

The NFL dominated the weekly charts, but Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes were no doubt the sports ratings story of the week.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

Colorado v CSU got 9.3M viewrs at 10PM unreal.

NFL sunday: 25.7M for Jets v Cowboys, 17.8M SNF, 16.6M FOX regional and 16.5M CBS regional

Colorado-CSU scores season-high 9.3 million despite late start

Deion Sanders continues to turn Colorado into a ratings magnet, with the Buffaloes scoring their biggest audience yet Saturday night.

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Colorado the big story, but good week for the SEC as well

Colorado was far and away the biggest ratings draw, but the SEC more than held its own in week three of the college football season.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

Saturday’s Colorado State-Colorado college football game averaged a 4.9 rating and 9.30 million viewers on ESPN, marking the largest late night college football audience on record and the fifth-largest regular season audience ever on the ESPN family of networks. The Buffaloes’ double-overtime win, which peaked with 11.1 million viewers from 11-11:15 PM ET, also delivered the largest college football audience of the season. The previous high was 9.17 million for FSU-LSU on ABC on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Colorado has now played in three of the five most-watched games this season. The most-watched Colorado game last season was their opener against TCU, a Friday night game that averaged 1.25 million on ESPN.

South Carolina-Georgia averaged a 2.8 rating and 5.42 million viewers in the final season premiere of the SEC on CBS, up 24% in ratings and 34% in viewership from Penn State-Auburn last year (2.3, 4.05M) and the most-watched college football game on CBS this season. CBS aired six games in the first two weeks, each from the Big Ten or Mountain West. Three of the week’s four most-watched games involved an SEC team. Tennessee-Florida placed third with a 2.7 and 5.31 million on ESPN Saturday night. Airing opposite South Carolina-Georgia, Alabama’s near-disaster South Florida took fourth place with a 2.7 and 4.84 million on ABC.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Jets-Cowboys tops Week 2 despite decline

With Aaron Rodgers sidelined, Jets-Cowboys turned into a mismatch that could not quite measure up to last year in the ratings.

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Rounding out the Week 2 slate, Browns-Steelers drew an 8.4 and 15.43 million on ABC and Saints-Panthers a 3.8 and 6.95 million on ESPN and ESPN2 in an overlapping Monday Night Football doubleheader. Compared to the same doubleheader in Week 2 last year, Browns-Steelers increased 20% (vs. Vikings-Eagles: 7.0, 12.86M), while Saints-Panthers declined 10% and 12% respectively (vs. Titans-Bills: 4.25, 7.92M).

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Second strong showing for Thursday Night Football

Thursday Night Football is off to a strong start in the ratings, opening the season with its two largest audiences since moving to Amazon.

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The latest edition of NFL Thursday Night Football (Giants-49ers) averaged a 6.5 rating and 13.92 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video, trailing only Vikings-Eagles the prior week (15.05M) as the most-watched game ever on the platform. Ratings increased 20% and viewership 26% from Steelers-Browns last year (5.4, 11.03M). Figures include local over-the-air simulcasts in New York City (854K) and the Bay Area (590K), meaning that 12.48 million watched the game on Amazon Prime. TNF is now averaging 14.48 million viewers through two games, up 21% from the first two games last year (11.95M) and up 71% from the first two games in 2021 — which aired exclusively on NFL Network (8.45M).

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Colorado-Oregon rout edges OSU-Notre Dame thriller in ratings

Colorado's blowout loss to Oregon eked out a ratings victory over Ohio State's nailbiter against Notre Dame.

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Saturday’s Colorado-Oregon college football game averaged a 5.2 rating and 10.03 million viewers on ABC, marking the largest Nielsen-measured audience of the season. The Buffaloes’ 36-point loss averaged a higher rating and larger Nielsen-measured audience than Ohio State-Notre Dame on NBC later in the day, which averaged a 5.1 and 9.98 million. Keep in mind that NBC uses a separate measurement service — Adobe Analytics — to calculate its streaming audience. (For the other networks, including ESPN and ABC, streaming viewership is included in Nielsen’s figures.) Including the Adobe-measured streaming audience of 605,000, the Ohio State-Notre Dame game had a larger audience of 10.59 million. In just four weeks this season, six games have averaged at least eight million viewers — one shy of last year’s full regular season total.

As one would expect, both games delivered viewership highs for their respective networks. Colorado-Oregon was the most-watched regular season game on ABC since Notre Dame-Ohio State on the opening weekend of last season (10.53M) and the network’s most-watched afternoon game since Michigan-Ohio State in 2016 (16.84M). Ohio State-Notre Dame delivered NBC’s largest Nielsen-measured college football audience since Clemson-Notre Dame three years ago, which averaged more than ten million despite presidential election competition. Including the Adobe Analytics streaming audience, viewership surpassed the 2020 game and USC-Notre Dame in 2005 (10.07M) as the highest on NBC since the 1993 Florida State-Notre Dame “Game of the Century” (22.02M).

Weekly sports ratings: NFL wins, but college football the story again

The NFL dominated the weekly sports ratings yet again, but the real story was in college -- where Colorado continues to move the needle.

sportsmediawatch.com

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

FSU-Clemson is best of the rest on a busy CFB Saturday

Saturday’s Florida State-Clemson college football game averaged a 3.7 rating and 6.71 million viewers on ABC, marking the network’s largest Noon ET college football audience since Penn State-Minnesota in 2019 (6.74M) and second-most watched since 2016. In other action, Mississippi-Alabama averaged a 2.6 and 4.61 million on the latest edition of the SEC on CBS — down 14% in ratings and 17% in viewership from Florida-Tennessee last year (3.0, 5.57M). The SEC was still a far stronger draw for CBS Saturday than the Big Ten, as Iowa-Penn State drew a 1.5 and 2.75 million in primetime.

NBC’s usual Big Ten game aired in the afternoon. Maryland-Michigan State drew a 0.7 and 1.24 million, down from Syracuse-Purdue in primetime the prior week (0.8, 1.25M). For the second time in three weeks, NBC’s Big Ten game was outdrawn by a matchup on Big Ten Network — albeit not head-to-head. Rutgers-Michigan drew a season-high 1.0 and 1.94 million on BTN earlier in the day.

FOX nears Week 3 high for Chiefs, Cowboys

Featuring the Chiefs and Cowboys, albeit not against each other, the NFL national window delivered a strong audience on FOX.

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Sunday’s NFL national window on FOX averaged a 12.0 rating and 24.32 million viewers, down 10% in ratings and 8% in viewership from last year, when coverage featured Aaron Rodgers and the Packers against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers (13.4, 26.40M).

Placing second, NBC averaged a 10.2 and 19.21 million for Steelers-Raiders on Sunday Night Football — up 6% in ratings and 8% in viewership from 49ers-Broncos a year ago (9.6, 17.80M).

Rounding out the Sunday slate, CBS averaged an 8.9 and 17.52 million for singleheader coverage featuring Patriots-Jets in a plurality of markets — up 16% and 19% respectively from last year (ft. Chiefs-Colts: 7.7, 14.68M). FOX drew a 6.5 (-10%) and 12.21 million (-12%) for the first half of its doubleheader, which featured Packers-Saints in three-fourths of markets.

Shifting to Monday Night Football, Eagles-Buccaneers averaged a 7.3 and 13.72 million on ABC and Rams-Bengals a 4.9 and 8.99 million on ESPN and ESPN2, with the games combining to average 21.91 million during the two hours in which they overlapped. The combined audience is the highest of the three split doubleheaders ESPN and ABC have carried the past two seasons, surpassing the previous week (21.76M) and Week 2 of last year (20.6M).

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

No Messi still over 1M

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

The Taylor Swift effect is legit

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Big audience, but not as big, for Colorado's loss to USC

The bandwagon was lighter after their blowout loss to Oregon, but Colorado delivered another big audience against USC Saturday.

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USC-Colorado averaged a 4.0 rating and 7.24 million viewers on the latest edition of FOX “Big Noon Saturday,” marking the least-watched Buffaloes game of the season, but the eighth-largest audience overall. Colorado has now played in more than half (five) of the top eight games. Georgia’s closer than expected win over Auburn on the SEC on CBS, which drew a 3.4 and 6.40 million. ABC’s Notre Dame-Duke thriller finished third at a 2.9 and 5.32 million.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

ESPN + exclusive

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Sweeps week: MLB Wild Card Series down on ESPN

With all four series in ending in sweeps and none of the usual draws in the field, viewership was down for the MLB Wild Card Series.

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The eight-game MLB Wild Card Series averaged 2.25 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, down from 2.8 million for last year’s nine-game slate. Marlins-Phillies was the most-watched of the four series, averaging 2.99 million viewers on Tuesday and 3.24 million on Wednesday — down 16 and 9 percent respectively from Padres-Mets last year (3.54M for both games). Both games aired in primetime. Rangers-Rays, which aired on ABC, ranked second with 2.18 million on Tuesday and 2.22 million on Wednesday — down from the lone ABC game last year, Phillies-Cardinals Game 1 (3.12M).

Rounding out the Wild Card slate, Blue Jays-Twins drew 1.68 million on Tuesday (-8%) and 2.03 million on Wednesday (-23%), while Diamondbacks-Brewers chipped in 1.86 and 1.95 million respectively. The latter series aired on ESPN2 and trailed both of last year’s ESPN2 games, Rays-Guardians Game 2 (2.27M) and Phillies-Cardinals Game 2 (2.52M). Beyond the fact that all four series ended in sweeps, Wild Card viewership was hampered by a relatively low-profile eight-team field and by the games airing at midweek rather than on a weekend. Last year’s Wild Card round, by comparison, culminated in a winner-take-all Sunday night Game 3 involving the #1 market Mets (3.96M).

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

WNBA Finals opens with most-watched Game 1 since 2000

The WNBA Finals got off to its best start in the ratings in 23 years as more than 700,000 viewers watched Game 1 between the Aces and Liberty.

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The WNBA Finals got off to its best start in the ratings in 23 years. Sunday’s Liberty-Aces WNBA Finals Game 1 averaged a 0.45 rating and 729,000 viewers on ABC, marking the largest audience for Game 1 of the Finals since 2000 — when Comets-Liberty averaged 872,000 on Lifetime. The previous high over that span was 594,000 for Sparks-Lynx in 2016. Not counting the single-elimination WNBA title game in 1997 (Liberty-Comets: 2.85M), only three other Finals opened with a larger audience: the aforementioned 2000 series, Comets-Liberty on Lifetime in 1999 (925K) and Comets-Mercury in 1998, which averaged 1.07 million across ESPN and Lifetime.

Red River Rivalry hits 14-year high; Bama-A&M scores for CBS

Saturday’s Texas-Oklahoma “Red River Rivalry” averaged a 4.2 rating and 7.87 million viewers across ABC (3.9, 7.31M) and a Pat McAfee simulcast on ESPN2 (0.30, 559K), marking the largest audience for the annual game since 2009 (8.71M). Keep in mind that excludes the rivals’ meeting in the 2018 Big 12 Championship Game (10.16M). The game ranked as the most-watched of the college football weekend, topping the second-place Alabama-Texas A&M game on CBS (3.9, 7.23M).

Placing third for the week, Louisville’s upset of Notre Dame averaged a 2.8 and 5.12 million on ABC’s Saturday Night Football — more-than-double Clemson-Boston College a year ago (1.1, 1.93M). Ohio State’s win over Maryland, which was competitive in the first half, ranked fourth for the week with a 2.6 and 4.51 million on FOX “Big Noon Saturday” — up 12% and 13% respectively from last year’s Michigan-Indiana game (2.3, 4.01M).

Rounding out the top five, Kentucky-Georgia scored a 1.6 and 3.19 million on ESPN in primetime. Its lead-out, a double-overtime matchup of USC and Arizona that ended after 2 AM ET, scored a 1.4 and 2.55 million, more-than-doubling Oregon State-Stanford a year ago (0.6, 1.08M). ESPN also drew a 1.3 and 2.34 million for LSU-Missouri — down double-digits from Tennessee-LSU last year (1.7, 2.90M) — and a 0.53 and 987,000 for Syracuse-North Carolina.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Phillies-Braves is top draw of quiet MLB Division Series

After double-digit declines in the Wild Card round, ratings have yet to turn around in the Division Series. he 15% decline actually constitutes an improvement as viewership was down nearly 30 percent through the first two days, which took place on a football weekend as opposed to midweek last year.

The Phillies-Braves series ranks as easily the most-watched thus far with a combined average of 4.05 million across TBS and truTV — up 19% from the first two games of last year’s NLDS between the same teams on FOX (3.41M). By comparison, Diamondbacks-Dodgers, Rangers-Orioles and Astros-Twins were averaging 2.39, 2.45 and 2.50 million respectively. The series accounts for two of the three largest audiences so far this postseason and — including the Wild Card Series — Philadelphia has played in four of the top five.

Tuesday’s Orioles-Rangers Game 3 averaged a 2.3 and 4.14 million on FOX (4.23M across all Fox platforms) — the most-watched LDS Game 3 on any network since Red Sox-Yankees on TBS in 2018 (4.41M). Keep in mind it was the first such game on broadcast television since 2006. The Rangers’ clinching win averaged a 10.5 rating and 31 share in Dallas-Ft. Worth — the market’s highest MLB rating since Game 7 of the 2019 World Series — and a 9.0/24 in Baltimore.

As previously noted, the opening weekend of play is largely responsible for the declines from last year. Games on Saturday and Sunday averaged 2.34 million viewers, down 29% from last year’s equivalent Tuesday and Wednesday games (3.31M). Rangers-Orioles Game 2 delivered a postseason-low 0.8 and 1.60 million on FS1 opposite the NFL last Sunday, and Game 1 the previous day also clocked in under two million (1.0, 1.94M).

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Top Cable Sports Originals + WWE Smackdown for Friday, October 13, 2023

Stanford's comeback win over Colorado easily topped Friday's sports originals

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Colorado's ratings mojo runs out in loss to Stanford

The Colorado Buffaloes' worst loss of the season played out in front of their smallest television crowd in the Deion Sanders era.

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Friday’s Stanford-Colorado college football game averaged 3.29 million viewers on ESPN, easily the least-watched Buffaloes game of the season on Nielsen-rated television. Every other Colorado game on a Nielsen-rated network has averaged at least seven million. (The Buffaloes’ game against Arizona State the previous week likely averaged fewer viewers on Pac-12 Network, but that channel is not Nielsen-rated.) If low for a Colorado game, viewership was still the highest for a Friday night game this season and second-highest of any weeknight game (excluding holidays). Nebraska-Minnesota averaged 3.49 million on FOX on the opening Thursday of the season.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Oregon-Washington delivers another big Pac-12 audience

A top-ten thriller between Washington and Oregon delivered another strong audience in a resurgent year for the soon-to-be-defunct Pac-12.

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Saturday’s Oregon-Washington college football game averaged a 3.8 rating and 7.04 million viewers on ABC, marking the largest college football audience of the weekend and the 11th-largest of the season. The 11 games this season with at least seven million viewers exceeds last year’s regular season total of ten. Six of the 11 most-watched games this season have involved a Pac-12 team, more than any other conference.

Placing second for the week, Notre Dame’s rout of USC averaged a 3.4 and 6.43 million on NBC — the rivals’ most-watched game on NBC since 2009 (6.47M). Ratings fell a tick and viewership 4% from their meeting on ABC last season, which aired over Thanksgiving weekend (3.5, 6.68M). The game ranks 13th for the season — giving the Pac-12 seven appearances in the top 13 — and second among NBC games behind Notre Dame’s loss to Ohio State (9.98M). NBC is in its first season carrying the Big Ten, but its three most-watched games have all been part of its preexisting Notre Dame package.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

NFL lead-in boosts ALCS opener to multi-year high

Airing after the most-watched NFL window of the season, Sunday’s Rangers-Astros American League Championship Series Game 1 averaged a 3.7 rating and 7.02 million viewers on FOX — the largest Game 1 audience in the LCS since Dodgers-Cubs on FS1 in 2016 (7.31M) and the largest in the ALCS since Yankees-Rangers on TBS in 2010 (8.11M). Across all Fox platforms, the audience of 7.27 million was the highest for an LCS opener since Cubs-Mets on TBS in ’15 (7.89M). Keep in mind it was the first LCS Game 1 to benefit from an NFL lead-in since 2012, when Cardinals-Giants opened with a 4.1 and 6.80 million on FOX. (Out-of-home viewing was not included in Nielsen’s final nationals prior to 2020).

Jets taking off in the ratings; MNF thriving on ABC

Aaron Rodgers' injury was supposed to doom the Jets on and off the field, but New York is staying afloat in the standings and the ratings.

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Sunday’s NFL national window on FOX, featuring Eagles-Jets in 63% of markets, averaged a 12.8 rating and 26.09 million viewers — the largest Nielsen-measured audience of the NFL season and the most-watched Week 6 window on any network since 2016 (mostly Cowboys-Packers: 28.01M). The Jets have now been featured in the three most-watched NFL windows this season, per Nielsen. The Week 2 national window — which featured their loss to the Cowboys in 90% of markets — ranks second (25.78M) and their Week 3 Sunday night loss to the Chiefs third (24.83M).

Placing second for the week, Cowboys-Chargers averaged a 10.6 and 19.64 million on the latest edition of Monday Night Football across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 — the largest Week 6 MNF audience since at least 2000. The previous high over that span was 14.67 million for Eagles-Giants on ABC in 2001. MNF has now hit at least a 14-year high in four of six weeks this season, with the caveat that ABC is carrying a full season of games for the first time since 2006. For the second time this season, Monday Night Football outdrew its Sunday night counterpart. Giants-Bills averaged a Sunday Night Football season-low 9.0 and 16.17 million on NBC.

Rounding out the Week 6 action, the Ravens-Titans International Series game from London drew a 2.3 and 4.29 million on NFL Network — the least-watched NFL regular season window in more than two years.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

TNF continues hot start despite season-low audience

Even the lowest rated and least-watched Thursday Night Football game this season delivered double-digit gains over a year ago.

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The latest edition of NFL Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video (Jaguars-Saints) averaged a 4.7 rating and 9.79 million viewers, easily the lowest rated and least-watched TNF game of the season but still up 21% and 25% respectively from last year (Saints-Cardinals: 3.9, 7.82M). TNF is now averaging 12.91 million viewers for the season, up 25% from the first six games last season (10.34M) and up 13% from the comparable point in 2021 (11.38M). At the same point in 2021, half of the games had aired exclusively on NFL Network and the other half were simulcast on FOX.

MLB LCS viewership down thus far

The Major League Baseball League Championship Series has averaged 4.66 million viewers across FOX, FS1, TBS and truTV through Thursday (seven games), down 9% from the same point of last year’s LCS (5.11M). In particular, the first four games of the ALCS (Astros-Rangers) averaged 4.87 million on FOX and FS1 and the first three of the NLCS (Phillies-Diamondbacks) averaged 4.38 million on TBS and truTV. The full MLB Postseason is averaging 3.27 million viewers, with viewership down for each round thus far. The Wild Card round declined around 20% and the Division Series eight percent. The LCS decline figures to narrow as both series are guaranteed to go at least six games; neither of last year’s series went six.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

PSU-OSU nears ten million mark, third-largest audience of season

College football ratings continue to impress, with two more games crossing the eight million viewer threshold on Saturday.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

Penn State-Ohio State averaged a 5.3 rating and 9.96 million viewers on FOX “Big Noon Saturday” over the weekend, marking the third-largest audience of the season on any network. Ohio State has played in two of the top three games, with Saturday’s game joining their win over Notre Dame on NBC September 23 (9.98M, 10.59M including Adobe Analytics) and Colorado-Oregon on ABC the same day (10.03M).

Also Saturday, Tennessee-Alabama averaged a 4.2 and 8.01 million on the SEC on CBS — the network’s largest audience of the season and the eighth-largest overall. The Tide’s win was the 13th game this season to average at least seven million viewers, compared to last year’s regular season total of ten.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Rangers' rout of Astros hits Game 7 low

A blowout and NFL competition helped sink ratings for Game 7 of the Rangers-Astros ALCS to a near-historic low.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

Monday’s Rangers-Astros ALCS Game 7 averaged a 3.5 rating and 6.77 million viewers across FOX and FS1, topping only Astros-Rays in the 2020 “bubble” (2.3 4.60M) as the lowest rated and least-watched LCS Game 7 on record. No other LCS Game 7 has averaged fewer than a 4.1 or 7.41 million, the figures for Dodgers-Brewers on FS1 alone in 2018. Notably, this year’s Game 7 was not even the most-watched game of the Rangers-Astros series. Game 1, which aired on a Sunday night with an NFL lead-in, averaged 7.02 million on FOX. The full, seven-game ALCS averaged 5.05 million viewers on FOX, down from last year’s four-game Astros-Yankees series on TBS (5.15M) but the most-watched LCS on the Fox Sports networks since the six-game Astros-Yankees in 2019 (5.85M)

The Rangers’ blowout win was trounced head-to-head by NFL Monday Night Football. 49ers-Vikings averaged a combined 10.1 rating and 18.61 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.

Earlier Monday, Diamondbacks-Phillies Game 6 averaged a 2.5 and 4.67 million across TBS (4.60M) and truTV (76K) — topping only the two game sixes in the 2020 “bubble” (Astros-Rays: 3.53M; Braves-Dodgers: 4.41M) as the least-watched LCS Game 6 on record.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Top Cable TV Sports Originals for Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Nielsen data sorted by adults 18-49 rating:

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D-backs/Phillies Game 7: 8.9m +103K for truTV alt-cast