Wednesday, March 9, 2022

TV Soccer Viewership: MAR 1-7

A busy week 11 of league games was highlighted by a handful of events in the Premier League and MLS and one that falls on complete opposite sides of the sporting spectrum from Liga MX.

• NBC delivers another good number (900k) for their network broadcast of West Ham v. Liverpool. This marks the 5th game just this calendar year that has topped 900k.

• Major League Soccer had the second game of their 2022 season on network TV fall around where it always does for this time of the year. The first two games on FOX in 2022 pulled 482k and 489k. This year MLS has seen their product on FOX go 436k and 475k. Overall it's a drop of about -6%.

MLS is suffering on ESPN where their viewership number is over 50% down from the previous two seasons. They also have a problem with viewers actively turning their TVs away from the league when a game comes on, only to return after the game is over to continue watching different programing.

• FS1 is statistically flat YOY.

• The Premier League remains about 14% over last year.

• Liga MX held perhaps the most violent soccer match of my adult life on Saturday when Queretaro faced Atlas. A huge fight broke out between fans in the stadium that left several people bloodied and lying naked on the ground. The Mexican federation has not confirmed fatalities, perhaps in fear of losing World Cup dates (there were clearly deaths), but did come down hard Querataro as far as sanctions.

• The ramifications of this horrific event will have far-reaching problems for both Liga MX, MLS, and Concacaf. MLS has not made a statement on the event, but I'm sure that networks will be asking some tough questions going forward with the Liga MX / MLS merged and expanded Leagues Cup next year. 

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US Cable Viewership: Soccer Programs Mar 1-7
Viewers (000)Event/GameNetworkDate
900NBC PREMIER LEAGUE WEST HAM AT LIVERPOOLNBC3/5
874PREMIER LEAGUE L: MAN UNITED/MAN CITYUSA3/6
513PREMIER LEAGUE L: ARSENAL/WATFORDUSA3/6
490LIGA MX: MONTERREY VS AMERICAFOX DEP3/5
475MLS SOCCER - CHARLOTTE FC VS LA GALAXYFOX3/5
472PREMIER LEAGUE L: CHELSEA/BURNLEYUSA3/5
469PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA3/6
438LIGA MX L: AMERICA / QUERETAROTUDN3/1
378LIGA MX SAT 2: CRUZ AZUL / PUEBLATUDN3/5
347LIGA MX L: TIGRES / CRUZ AZULTUDN3/2
334LIGA MX L: ATLETICO / CHIVASTUDN3/2
296PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA3/6
290LIGA MX L: FC JUAREZ / LEONTUDN3/4
280PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA3/5
267PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEEDS/LEICESTERUSA3/5
243PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA3/5
240PREMIER LEAGUE L: EVERTON/TOTTENHAMUSA3/7
200LIGA MX L: QUERETARO / ATLASTUDN3/5
182MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER L: LA FC/PORTLANDFS13/6
179LIGA MX L: TOLUCA / TIJUANATUDN3/1
177PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA3/6
167LIGA MX L: NECAXA / TOLUCATUDN3/4
154MLS REGULAR SEASON L: AUSTIN/INTER MIAMIESPN3/6
138FUTBOL CENTRAL LTUDN3/5
112PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA3/7

sources: showbuzzdaily, spoilertv, helltown

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English Language leaderboard, 2022 to date (all programs on US Cable TV unless otherwise noted):

000s : Program
979 : EPL - Broadcast
785 : World Cup Qualifiers
782 : UEFA Champions League - Broadcast
456 : MLS - Broadcast
326 : EPL
295 : USMNT
215 : USWNT
173 : General Soccer
171 : MLS
118 : FIFA Club World Cup
38 : Ligue 1

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