Wednesday, April 6, 2022

TV Soccer Viewership: MAR 29 - APR4

A very busy week that was highlighted by the return of the Premier League and the NWSL on CBS.

Notes:

1. Big news of the week is the NWSL pulling 456k viewers on CBS just a week after the FA Women's Soccer League pulled 484k on NBC. It is excellent news for women's soccer and I would expect that more games are being planned to go on TV as I type.

1a. While the two women's leagues pulled similar numbers, there was a big gap in the 18-49 age demographic - the FAWSL pulled 181k vs. NWSL's 99k. That's nearly double and definitely worth putting some thought behind. Is the "club" aspect bringing viewers over from the Premier League? Is the NWSL watched by parents of teenage to college-aged kids?

2. The Premier League took 9 of the top 10 spots with their studio show filling 3 of those. The Premier League is 20% over last year to date (USA Network vs. NBCSN).

3. Quiet week for Liga MX on TUDN, but overall they are up +7% YOY. I don't report Univision numbers because I do not have an independent source for their numbers.

4. Major League Soccer again finishes at or near the bottom of my table. I'm guessing they are in some sort of crisis mode, because: 

4a. MLS is averaging 40k fewer viewers on FS1 YOY (through the first 5 games). That's a -21% drop. They are down -10% from 2020 (which straddles pre / post pandemic "MLS is Back" tournament).

4b. MLS is down 59% YOY on ESPN (3 games, down -66% from 2020 pre-pandemic).

4c. MLS is down -18% on FOX (3 games)

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US Cable Viewership: Soccer Programs Mar 29-Apr 4
Viewers (000)Event/GameNetworkDate
608PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEICESTER/MAN UNITEDUSA4/2
573PREMIER LEAGUE L: NEWCASTLE/TOTTENHAMUSA4/3
463PREMIER LEAGUE L: BRENTFORD/CHELSEAUSA4/2
456NWSL CHALLENGE CUP: SAN DIEGO V ANGEL CITYCBS4/2
421PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA4/2
420PREMIER LEAGUE L: EVERTON/WEST HAMUSA4/3
384PREMIER LEAGUE L: WATFORD/LIVERPOOLUSA4/2
326PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA4/3
314PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA4/2
309PREMIER LEAGUE L: ARSENAL/CRYSTAL PALACEUSA4/4
234LIGA MX SAT 2TUDN4/2
222FUTBOL CENTRAL PT WEDTUDN3/30
211PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA4/2
211LIGA MX SUN: TIGRES / TIJUANATUDN4/3
200WORLD CUP QUAL MATCHES  L: POR/MACEDONIAESPN23/29
196LIGA MX LF SAT: FC JUAREZ / UNAMTUDN4/2
181PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA4/3
179LIGA MX SAT: CRUZ AZUL / ATLASTUDN4/2
173LIGA MX L: LEON / QUERETAROTUDN4/3
168PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA4/4
161PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA4/2
157PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA4/4
152LIGA MX L: CLUB ATLETICO SAN LUIS/MAZATLANTUDN4/1
125UEFA EUROPEAN QUALIF: PORT/MACEDONIATUDN3/29
124LIGA MX SUN: TOLUCA / PUEBLATUDN4/3
123MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER L: PORTLAND/LA GFS14/3
119PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA4/3
88FUTBOL CLUB LTUDN3/30
65FUTBOL CENTRAL LTUDN4/3

sources: showbuzzdaily, spoilertv, nielsen ratings, helltown

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Soccer on TV Leaderboard. Eng-lang. Averages on broadcast tv (OTA) and cable separated.

000s : Program
979 : Premier League - Broadcast
869 : World Cup Qualifier - Concacaf
783 : UEFA Champions League - Broadcast
484 : FA Women's Super League - Broadcast
456 : NWSL - Broadcast
423 : MLS - Broadcast
318 : Premier League
295 : USMNT
215 : USWNT
180 : General Soccer
165 : MLS
158 : World Cup Qualifier - UEFA
118 : FIFA Club World Cup
114 : Concacaf Champions League
38 : Ligue 1


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