Lower viewership for top leagues last week.
Highlights/Lowlights:
• Liga MX took the top spot but it was a low 561k on Univision for Tigres/Monterry.
• PL was also lower than normal, but for a non-big 6 matchup it was... fine.
• The USWNT played South Africa twice last week, neither topped 400k.
• La Liga continues to hold strong in a post-Messi and Ronaldo environment.
WHY, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IS SOCCER IS DOWN
1. The start of College Football and the NFL has an impact but this year it appears to be doing more to depress soccer viewership. "Coach Prime" and Taylor Swift (who I think is the NFL counterweight) have taken the air out of soccer viewership sales. It's not just soccer that's impacted, however, from the looks of it everything non-gridion has slipped.
2. The soccer calendar was sent askew by the winter World Cup, but you also have a load of summer soccer tournaments that piled up this past summer. Women's World Cup, Gold Cup, the Leagues Cup, etc.
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| US TV Viewership: SEPT 18 - 24 |
| | | |
| PREMIER LEAGUE | | |
| LIGA MX (Mexican Soccer) | | |
| MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER | | |
| | | |
| Viewers (000) | Event/Game | Network | Date |
| 561 | LIGA MX IF SAT: TIGRES UANL VS MONTERREY +T | UNI | 9/23 |
| 555 | NBC PREMIER LEAGUE: EVERTON AT BRENTFORD | NBC | 9/23 |
| 480 | PREMIER LEAGUE L: NOTTINGHAM/MAN CITY | USA | 9/23 |
| 458 | LIGA MX SAT: LEON VS TIJUANA +T | UNI | 9/23 |
| 411 | LIGA MX: GUADALAJARA VS PACHUCA | TEL | 9/23 |
| 387 | PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIO: N/A | USA | 9/23 |
| 344 | USA SOCCER WOMEN L: USA/SOUTH AFRICA | TNT | 9/24 |
| 327 | NBC PREMIER LEAGUE POST: N/A | NBC | 9/23 |
| 315 | LIGA MX DT SUN: CRUZ AZUL VS QUERETARO+T | UNIMAS | 9/24 |
| 310 | PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIO: N/A | USA | 9/24 |
| 295 | PREMIER LEAGUE L: NEWCASTLE/SHEFFIELD | USA | 9/24 |
| 286 | FUTBOL CENTRAL PT SAT: LIGA MX SAT +T | UNI | 9/23 |
| 278 | LA LIGA: ATLETICO DE MADRID/REAL MADRID | ESPND | 9/24 |
| 266 | USA SOCCER PREGAME: N/A | TNT | 9/24 |
| 256 | PREMIER LEAGUE L: BOURNEMOUTH/BRIGHTON | USA | 9/24 |
| 249 | USA SOCCER WOMEN L: USA/SOUTH AFRICA | TNT | 9/21 |
| 212 | PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIO: N/A | USA | 9/24 |
| 206 | PREMIER LEAGUE L: BURNLEY/NOTTINGHAM | USA | 9/18 |
| 180 | WELCOME TO WREXHAM: 0202-THE QUIET ZONE | FX | 9/19 |
| 164 | LIGA PREMIER: SHEFFIELD V. NEWCASTLE | TEL | 9/24 |
| 162 | WELCOME TO WREXHAM: 0203-NOTT YET | FX | 9/19 |
| 150 | USA SOCCER POSTGAME: N/A | TNT | 9/24 |
| 149 | LIGA MIX L: PUEBLA/ UNAM | TUDN | 9/22 |
| 149 | PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIO: N/A | USA | 9/18 |
| 146 | FUTBOL CENTRAL DT SUN: LIGA MX DT SUN+T | UNIMAS | 9/24 |
| 145 | PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONE: N/A | USA | 9/24 |
| 140 | LIGA MX DT SUN: CRUZ AZUL / QUERETARO | TUDN | 9/24 |
| 135 | USA SOCCER PREGAME: N/A | TNT | 9/21 |
| 131 | UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 1: REAL VS U BERLIN | TUDN | 9/20 |
| 126 | UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: BAYERN V MAN UNITED | TUDN | 9/20 |
| 125 | PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONE: N/A | USA | 9/18 |
| 122 | LIGA PREMIER: BRIGHTON V. BOURNEMOUTH | TEL | 9/24 |
| 119 | UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: BARCA VS. ANTWERP | TUDN | 9/19 |
| 110 | USA SOCCER POSTGAME: N/A | TNT | 9/21 |
| 104 | LIGA MX: SANTOS VS NECAXA | FOXD | 9/24 |
| 104 | MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER L: ORLANDO/MIAMI | FS1 | 9/24 |
| 96 | LIGA MX L: CLUB ATLETICO SAN LUIS / MAZATLAN | TUDN | 9/22 |
| 88 | LIGA MX L: PACHUCA / SANTOS | TUDN | 9/18 |
| 70 | UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE L: BRIGHTON/AEK ATHENS | TUDN | 9/21 |
| 66 | UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAG: AC MILAN V NEWCASTLE | TUDN | 9/19 |
| 59 | ENG LEAGUE CHAMP: NORWICH/LEICESTER | ESPN2 | 9/20 |
| 50 | MISION EUROPA L: N/A | TUDN | 9/20 |
| 48 | UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE 1: CASK VS. LIVERPOOL FC | TUDN | 9/21 |
| 35 | FUTBOL CLUB L: N/A | TUDN | 9/20 |
| 35 | MISION EUROPA L: N/A | TUDN | 9/22 |
| 34 | LA LIGA: ALAVES/ATHLETIC CLUB | ESPND | 9/22 |
| 33 | FUTBOL CENTRAL L: N/A | TUDN | 9/18 |
| 27 | LA LIGA: GRANADA/GIRONA | ESPND | 9/18 |
| 26 | MISION EUROPA L: N/A | TUDN | 9/19 |
| 25 | MISION EUROPA L: N/A | TUDN | 9/21 |
| 24 | FUTBOL PICANTE AFT: L | ESPND | 9/18 |
| 20 | LIGA DE HONDURAS: REAL ESPANA VS OLANCHO | FOXD | 9/20 |
| 15 | LIGA MX D: FCJUAREZ/ATLAS FC | FS2 | 9/22 |
| 10 | FUTBOL PICANTE: N/A | ESPND | 9/18 |
Sources: Nielsen Data via Sports Media Watch, Spoiler TV, SportsTVRatings
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Note: My primary source for this data has changed from ShowBuzzDaily to a combination of Sports Media Watch and Spoiler TV. My weekly report was previously posted on Wednesday, but now will be on Thursday (or Friday if there is a holiday). Bear with me while I get my hands around providing this data. Thank you.
