Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Soccer Viewership: MAY 16 - 22

One of the busiest weeks of the soccer on TV year saw Liga MX and the UEFA Champions League pull big (for soccer) numbers.

Highlights/Lowlights:

• 2.8m combined viewership figure for Univision + TUDN Club America vs. Chivas and in the reverse leg on Telemundo + Universo it pulled 2.3m.

Chivas vs. Club America is THE matchup for Liga MX on US TV. The ceiling.

• I'm not a big proponent of combining competing networks but The UCL City v Real final pulled 2.2m total via CBS + Univision. Again, it is better to see that as two separate numbers (1.2m+1.04m) but I do want to illustrate how well the UCL does in both languages. No other club competition is able to do that.

• The Premier League is wrapping up more or less flat YOY. I'm not sure if there was some World Cup fatigue or not, but it does set the league up for growth next year after a break.

MLS is vanishing from TV. Reports are still bouncing around that the Apple deal isn't going well so we'll see what's next for MLS. The expanded Leagues Cup is on the horizon but other than that I don't think MLS can stand on this situation. Nor will Apple, of course.

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US TV Viewership: May 16 - 22
PREMIER LEAGUE
LIGA MX (Mexican Soccer)
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Viewers (000)Event/GameNetworkDate
2,184LIGA MX PT SUN: AMERICA/CHIVASUNIVISION5/21
1,919FUT-EST-CHIVA-R-TEL-UNVSO: CHIVAS/AMERICATEL5/18
1,196UEFA CHAMP LEAGUE-SEMI: MAN CITY/REALCBS5/17
1,151LIGA MX WED: TIGRES UANL/MONTERREYUNIVISION5/17
1,039UEFA CHAMP LEAGUE-SEMI: MAN CITY/REALUNIVISION5/17
835FUTBOL CENTRAL PT SUNUNIVISION5/21
729NBC PREMIER LEAGUE: ARSENAL/NOTTINGHAMNBC5/20
596LIGA MX PT SUN: SF: AMERICA / CHIVASTUDN5/21
556PREMIER LEAGUE L: CHELSEA/MANCHESTER CITYUSA5/21
520UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: INTER/AC MILANUNIVISION5/16
466PREMIER LEAGUE L: MAN UNITED/BOURNEMOUTHUSA5/20
379PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEEDS/WEST HAMUSA5/21
368FUT-EST-CHIVA-R-TEL-UNVSO: CHIVAS V. AMERICAUNIVERSO5/18
344PREMIER LEAGUE L: BRENTFORD/TOTTENHAMUSA5/20
337FIFA-U20: ITALIA/BRAZILTEL5/21
337PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/20
334PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/20
315PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/21
289PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA5/21
282LIGA PREMIER-SUN: MAN CITY/CHELSEATEL5/21
269LIGA MX WED: SF: TIGRES UANL / MONTERREYTUDN5/17
249PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEICESTER/NEWCASTLEUSA5/22
247FIFA-U20: ARGENTINA/UZBEKISTANTEL5/20
236PREMIER LEAGUE L: BRIGHTON/NEWCASTLEUSA5/18
226FIFA-U20: USA/ECUADORTEL5/20
219UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: SF: MAN CITY / REALTUDN5/17
195PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/18
189FUTBOL CENTRAL PT SUNTUDN5/21
159LA LIGA    L: FC BARCELONA/REAL SOCIEDADESPND5/20
148PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/21
134PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/20
125UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: SF: INTER / AC MILANTUDN5/16
116PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA5/18
113FUTBOL CENTRAL WEDTUDN5/17
111LIGA PREMIER: WEST HAM/LEEDS UNITEDTEL5/21
110LA LIGA    L: VALENCIA/REAL MADRIDESPND5/21
109FUTBOL ESTEL CHIVAS EXTRAUNIVERSO5/18
108PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA5/22
89LIGA PREMIER: NOTTINGHAM FOREST V. ARSENALUNIVERSO5/20
86FUTBOL ESTEL CHIVAS EXTRAUNIVERSO5/18
79UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE 1: SF: SEVILLA/JUVENTUSTUDN5/18
78MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER: ST LOUISC/ KANSAS CITYFS15/20
76MISION EUROPA LTUDN5/17
67LIGA PREMIER EXTRAUNIVERSO5/20
59ESPN FOOTBALL CENTER   LESPND5/20
55LIGA MX FEMENIL: QF:JUAREZ VS AMERICAFOXD5/19
54LIGA MX PREVIAFOXD5/20
53LA LIGA    L: SEVILLA/REAL BETISESPND5/21
51FUTBOL CENTRALTUDN5/17
44MISION EUROPA LTUDN5/18
42LA LIGA    L: ATLETICO DE MADRID/OSASUNAESPND5/21
36FUTBOL PICANTE      LESPND5/20
36FUTBOL PICANTE      LESPND5/21

sources: showbuzzdaily, spoilertv, helltown (analysis)

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Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Soccer Viewership: MAY 9 - 15

The super clubs of the SUPERCLUBS in Real Madrid and Manchester City topped 2m combined viewers on CBS and Univision to top the week.

Highlights/Lowlights:

• Last week was highlighted by the UCL semifinals and the Liga MX playoffs. Club America does its thing in primetime against Atletico, tops 1m (+393k on TUDN)

• Still watching YTD numbers on all soccer leagues because they are all more or less down YOY. This is notable because the NBA and NHL are both seeing strong numbers during the playoffs.

• MLS drops below 100k again on FS1 for its low-wattage Galaxy v San Jose matchup. MLS's last three games on FS1 are averaging 72k. Their Season Pass app is obviously taking some viewership away but my guess is that casual viewership is eroding as well.

Barcelona got a rare game on ESPN last week but it provided a low 150k number, which is more or less what the club draws on ESPND. I think La Liga could grow an audience on ESPN if they got more time.

• The United Soccer League jumped on the list this week, 60k on ESPN2. Just a hair off MLS on FS1

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US TV Viewership: May 9 - 15
PREMIER LEAGUE
LIGA MX (Mexican Soccer)
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Viewers (000)Event/GameNetworkDate
1,141UEFA CHAMP LEAGUE-SEMI: REAL / MAN CITYCBS5/9
1,107LIGA MX SAT: CLUB AMERICA / CLUB ATLETICOUNIVISION5/13
947UEFA CHAMP LEAGUE-SEMI: REAL / MAN CITYUNIVISION5/9
908FUT-ES-CHIVA-SU-TEL-UNVO: CHIVAS / ATLASTEL5/14
772UEFA CHAMP LEAGUE-SEMI: AC MILAN / INTERCBS5/10
661LIGA MX SUN: TOLUCA / TIGRESUNIVISION5/14
652PREMIER LEAGUE L: BRIGHTON/ARSENALUSA5/14
579UEFA CHAMP LEAGUE AC MILAN / INTERUNIVISION5/10
517PREMIER LEAGUE L: MANCHESTER CITY/EVERTONUSA5/14
452LIGA MX L: QF: TIGRES / TOLUCATUDN5/11
450PREMIER LEAGUE L: NOTTINGHAM/CHELSEAUSA5/13
433PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA5/13
428LIGA MX L: QF: ATLAS / CHIVASTUDN5/11
394PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/14
393LIGA MX L: CLUB ATLETICO SAN LUIS / AMERICATUDN5/10
365LIGA MX SAT: QF: AMERICA / SAN LUISTUDN5/13
339PREMIER LEAGUE L: NEWCASTLE/LEEDSUSA5/13
336LIGA MX PLAYOFFS: QF:MONTERREY VS SANTOSFOXD5/13
331LIGA PREMIER: ARSENAL / BRIGHTONTEL5/14
319PREMIER LEAGUE L: LIVERPOOL/LEICESTERUSA5/15
308PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA5/14
297PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/13
223UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: SF: REAL / MAN CITYTUDN5/9
217LIGA MX PLAYOFFS: QF:SANTOS VS MONTERREYFOXD5/10
210PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/14
187LA LIGA    L: ESPANYOL/FC BARCELONAESPND5/14
185LIGA MX SUN: QF: TOLUCA / TIGRESTUDN5/14
163LIGA PREMIER: EVERTON / MAN CITYTEL5/14
154LA LIGA    L: ESPANYOL/FC BARCELONAESPN5/14
151ESPN FC   LESPN5/14
149PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/13
128LA LIGA    L: REAL MADRID/GETAFEESPND5/13
121UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: AC MILAN / INTERTUDN5/10
110FUTBOL CENTRAL PT SATTUDN5/13
103PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA5/15
94PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA5/15
80LIGA MX PREVIAFOXD5/13
80FUTBOL ESTEL CHIVAS EXTRAUNIVERSO5/14
79LIGA MX L: QTR 2:RAYADOS/SANTOS LAGUNAFS15/13
76UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE: EINTRACHT / WEST HAMTUDN5/11
72LA LIGA    L: VILLARREAL/ATHLETIC CLUBESPND5/13
66MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER L: LA GALAXY/SAN JOSEFS15/14
62MISION EUROPA LTUDN5/9
60UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE  L: LOUISVILLE /MIAMI FCESPN25/13
56LIGA MX L: QTR 1:SANTOS LAGUNA/RAYADOSFS15/10
54LA LIGA    L: VALLADOLID/SEVILLAESPND5/14
44MISION EUROPA LTUDN5/11
39FUTBOL ESTEL CHIVAS EXTRAUNIVERSO5/14

sources: showbuzzdaily, spoilertv, helltown (analysis)

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