TV Soccer Viewership: MAR 22-28

Last week was light due to the men's international break, save for a surprise rating from the FA Women's Super League in England to talk about. 

NOTES:

• The US World Cup Qualifier vs. Panama won the week by managing to pull 1m viewers. It was on in a favorable timeslot, however. If you look at the top 10 by rating (/share of TVs turned on), the 0.41 it pulled doesn't make the top 10. The Premier League (4) and Champions League (6) own the top 10.

• Markets with an MLS team led in share for the FS1 USA qualifier, two were in Ohio (though, the post with the numbers has since been taken down). When FS1 (FOX) gets a USA match there tends to be more flag-waving and USA / MLS vs. the world conversations on social - which should surprise no one.

• The FA Women's Super League on NBC posted a broadcast number that was better than all the MLS numbers so far this year - 484k. The FAWSL, in my opinion, will be the league of choice for the best players going forward. The US does not understand the global soccer landscape nor does it nurture any sort of ground-up approach to the game, which is the lifeblood of the sport. Also, soccer in the US is filled with a bunch of creeps in high-level positions.

• MLS on ESPN tops 200k on for the first time this year (through 3 games). It wasn't the least-watched program on the network on the day (which it has been for the previous two games), but it was the 2nd least watched. Only the Sportscenter that aired directly after the game was lower. 

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US Cable Viewership: Soccer Programs Mar 22-28
Viewers (000)	Event/Game	Network	Date
1,036	WORLD CUP QUALIFIER USA L: USA/PANAMA	FS1	3/27
484	FA WOMENS SUPER LG 1Q1: MAN UNITED/EVERTON	NBC	3/27
292	RUMBO AL MUNDIAL: HONDURAS VS MEXICO	UNIVERSO	3/27
266	WORLD CUP QUAL POST L	FS1	3/27
245	MLS REGULAR SEASON  L: PORTLAND/ORLANDO	ESPN	3/27
168	LIGA DE EXPANSION MX L: CLUB AMERICA/TIGRES	TUDN	3/23
153	FUTBOL CENTRAL THU	TUDN	3/24
150	PARTIDO AMISTOSO 3/26: AMERICA/MONTERREY	TUDN	3/26
148	RUMBO AL MUNDIAL: JAMAICA VS EL SALVADOR	UNIVERSO	3/24
145	RUMBO AL MUNDIAL: CANADA VS JAMAICA	UNIVERSO	3/27
140	UEFA EUROPEAN QUALIF: PORTUGAL / TURQUIA	TUDN	3/24
115	WORLD CUP QUAL MATCHES: PORTUGAL/TURKEY	ESPN2	3/24
109	WORLD CUP QUAL PREG L	FS1	3/27
104	RUMBO MUNDIAL ANTESALA	UNIVERSO	3/27
99	RUMBO MUNDIAL – OBJ CATAR	UNIVERSO	3/24
74	FUTBOL CENTRAL EF SUN	TUDN	3/27
66	FUTBOL MLS L: SPORTING KC / REAL SALT LAKE	TUDN	3/26

sources: showbuzzdaily, spoilertv, helltown

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Eng-lang TV viewership leaderboard:

000s : Event

979 : Premier League - Broadcast
869 : World Cup Qualifiers - Concacaf
783 : UEFA Champions League - Broadcast
484 : FA Women's Super League - Broadcast
423 : MLS - Broadcast
317 : Premier League
295 : USMNT - Friendly
215 : USWNT - Friendly
180 : General Soccer
171 : MLS
118 : FIFA Club World Cup
115 : World Cup Qualifier - UEFA
114 : Concacaf Champions League
38 : Ligue 1

II. Only interesting to me

1. Tailgating at Buffalo Bills games.

A longtime Bills fan has been selling bowling ball shots (shot out of the finger hole) and grilling off the hood of his Pinto for near on two decades... until last week when an NFL suit told him "not any more". The NFL is trying to clean up the gameday experience, I get that. NFL games are rated R events on the field and around the stadium. But shutting out this guy in Buffalo isn't necessary. Yeah, yeah, the law and what not. Turns out they wanted to move him away from the stadium altogether but they settled on letting him stay where he was, just sans bowling ball. It's Buffalo man, he is a true fan of that team, leave him be.

Which leads me to...

2. Steelers fan dude.

Ohio gained about a billion Steeler fans a couple years ago when the won the Super Bowl. I don't mind someone jumping on a bandwagon but it is over the top here where I happen to live. I have a trifecta of bars around me so every Sunday in the Fall Mr. and Mrs. Fake Steelers fan pure out on the streets drunk and loud. It's always sort of bothered more then it should, this rooting for a team cause they are good. It is prevalent in all sports I reckon. It isn't the fan whose dad was a fan or someone who moved from PA. It's young Ohio dude who hasn't worked a day in their floppy handshake life. Oh well, it's hard to explain. I guess when you have a little prick you feel like you have to root for a winner? Get off my lawn you punk! You too - ikillyomomma screen name - who kept picking FC Barcelona when I was going with the Columbus Crew on FIFA 10!

3. Finished Red Dead Redemption

A couple weeks ago, but deserves mention. Those guys at San Diego Rockstar pulled off an excellent game.

4. Alcohol free lifestyle right now

Made a pact with someone. That's not a underhanded way to say "made a pact with myself" either. That said, it'll do me a lot of good as well. Save for the rude comments about nonsense like poor Steelers fan that come out from not sipping on a 12 year old single malt scotch (or Bulleit Bourbon) to calm the nerves. Jokes aside, it is something I'm taking seriously. Does the body good and makes grocery shopping more interesting. I have a host of new beverages in my fridge like San Pellegrino, Virgils Root Beer, Jones Soda (or Pop, which I've been off of for a couple years) and various forms of fruit juice, I'm sure alcohol will make it's way back (vino maybe), but for now it's off. It means a lot to me to be helping someone.

5. Shawcross is no longer my captain

Drogba has taken the arm band as I was called out (wisely) by the commish in my fantasy soccer league. Expect Drogba to go down with injury! In other fantasy news. The other football kind. I'm still playing with the "good guys" for the 4th year straight. Won me a championship a couple years ago. Almost dead last in the other years, but this year I'll be back on top!

6. Who is Dying Bravely? We Don't Back Down

Today is the Day

The US has a great chance to advance past the Round of 16 this year. Had things been a little bit different they would be playing Germany today. But you know what? I like their chances if they had to do that too. I don't know why, just do.

As it is they face Ghana. A team having some trouble scoring goals, unlike the US who is doing a pretty darned good job at scoring great goals at amazing times, but not enough to them them off the average of slightly over one goal per game they have historically at WC events. So what's this game going to look like... Historically Ghana actually has a pretty stout defense, even in this WC. Goals against per game is less then one (0.86). The US (even with updated stats, including this year) is still floating dangerously close to 2 goals allowed per game (1.93). This year they have only allowed an average of one per game through 3.

I think that Ghana will play it tight, but test the US defense more then they have other teams this WC. The US needs to be careful with that. A goal may be all Ghana needs. I think the US will really be paying attention to how Ghana starts the match. If Ghana gets aggressive early with the thinking of scoring an early goal then settling back then the US needs to strike at that time.

Ghana plays a very tight game, with statistics very similar to a team like England. The US has a scary variability factor in terms of goals for and against.

Most of the things I'm reading have Ghana edging out the US. Their reasoning seems to be inline with what I have here (or, I should say; mine seems to be in line with theirs). A game can go anyway. This one?

Likely Scenarios:
- Ghana 1-0
- US 2-1 (Ghana gets caught chasing)
- Ends in PKs - Ghana Win (I say that because I can't find where the US has ever had to finish a game with PKs in the WC, not a lot of chances there)

Unlikely Scenarios:
- Ghana wins or looses by more then 2 goals
- US scores more then 3 or more goals (I don't think they will need that many)

The US has shown so much heart this year and it is easy to think that anything is possible after their last two games. I like the 2-1 win for the USA. The US catching Ghana on a counterattack.

I hope that is it.

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HERE is a link to a Sports Illustrated from 1994. Check it out.