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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Wednesday, March 30, 2022

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/GameNetworkDate
1,036WORLD CUP QUALIFIER USA L: USA/PANAMAFS13/27
484FA WOMENS SUPER LG 1Q1: MAN UNITED/EVERTONNBC3/27
292RUMBO AL MUNDIAL: HONDURAS VS MEXICOUNIVERSO3/27
266WORLD CUP QUAL POST LFS13/27
245MLS REGULAR SEASON  L: PORTLAND/ORLANDOESPN3/27
168LIGA DE EXPANSION MX L: CLUB AMERICA/TIGRESTUDN3/23
153FUTBOL CENTRAL THUTUDN3/24
150PARTIDO AMISTOSO 3/26: AMERICA/MONTERREYTUDN3/26
148RUMBO AL MUNDIAL: JAMAICA VS EL SALVADORUNIVERSO3/24
145RUMBO AL MUNDIAL: CANADA VS JAMAICAUNIVERSO3/27
140UEFA EUROPEAN QUALIF: PORTUGAL / TURQUIATUDN3/24
115WORLD CUP QUAL MATCHES: PORTUGAL/TURKEYESPN23/24
109WORLD CUP QUAL PREG LFS13/27
104RUMBO MUNDIAL ANTESALAUNIVERSO3/27
99RUMBO MUNDIAL – OBJ CATARUNIVERSO3/24
74FUTBOL CENTRAL EF SUNTUDN3/27
66FUTBOL MLS L: SPORTING KC / REAL SALT LAKETUDN3/26

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

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Wednesday, March 23, 2022

TV Soccer Viewership: MAR 15-21

Busy week! Here are the notes:

• TUDN tops the list for the first time this calendar year. The network has recovered after a poor start to the Clausura and is now +10% over last year (but still down -4% from the 2020 pandemic year). There are 6 match weeks left on the season.

• No soccer on broadcast TV last week (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX).

• Interest in the Concacaf Champions League remains low. The quarterfinal matchup between New England and Pumas did well on TUDN, but there's nothing outside that match. FOX has been putting most of these games on FS2 and they getting zero viewers.

• MLS was largely absent last week. Only one match was carried on Eng-lang TV and it got poor 109k. 

• Don Garber's league is only 7 days away from the self-imposed deadline for a new TV deal. I don't think it's getting done anytime soon and I have a feeling networks are sending MLS back to the drawing board in regards to its offering. I can see MLS separating their products (Leagues Cup, MLS regular season/playoffs, MLS Next, local games) to sell individually. 

• Liga MX on TUDN is averaging 30% fewer viewers than the Premier League on USA Network YTD.

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US Cable Viewership: Soccer Programs Mar 15-21
Viewers (000)Event/GameNetworkDate
467LIGA MX PT SUN: ATLAS / GUADALAJARATUDN3/20
456PREMIER LEAGUE L: WEST HAM/TOTTENHAMUSA3/20
423LIGA MX SAT 2: TIGRES UANL / MONTERREYTUDN3/19
350PREMIER LEAGUE L: BRENTFORD/LEICESTERUSA3/20
334LIGA MX LF SAT: PACHUCA / CRUZ AZULTUDN3/19
333PREMIER LEAGUE L: ARSENAL/ASTON VILLAUSA3/19
315CONCACAF LC – L: QF: NEW ENGLAND/ UNAMTUDN3/16
291LIGA MX EF SUN: AMERICA / TOLUCATUDN3/20
278PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA3/18
265PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA3/20
242LIGA MX L: PUEBLA / SANTOSTUDN3/18
213LIGA MX LTUDN3/20
209PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEEDS/WOLVESUSA3/18
208LIGA MX SAT: UNAM / NECAXATUDN3/19
204UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: MAN UNITED/ATLETICOTUDN3/15
203PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA3/19
192CONCACAF LC – L: QF: SEATTLE / LEONTUDN3/17
190CONCACAF LC – L: QF: CRUZ AZUL/MONTREALTUDN3/16
178PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA3/20
175UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 1: VILLARREAL/JUVETUDN3/16
174FUTBOL CENTRAL LTUDN3/17
164PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONEUSA3/20
158LIGA MX L: QUERETARO / ATLETICO SAN LUISTUDN3/17
158UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE 1: R16: BARCA/GALATASTUDN3/17
134CONCACAF CHAMP LEAGUE L: LEON/SEATTLEFS13/17
127CONCACAF LC – L: QF: NYCFC/COMUNICACIONESTUDN3/15
116PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIOUSA3/19
109MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER L: AUSTIN FC/SEATTLEFS13/20
91FUTBOL CENTRAL EF SUNTUDN3/20
46FUTBOL CENTRAL LTUDN3/19

sources: showbuzzdaily, spoilertv, helltown

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Here's the Eng-lang TV table by average viewers. All averages are cable unless marked "broadcast."

000s : Program
979 : EPL - Broadcast
785 : World Cup Qualifier
783 : UEFA Champions League - Broadcast
423 : MLS - Broadcast
317 : EPL
295 : USMNT
215 : USWNT
173 : General Soccer
160 : MLS
118 : FIFA Club World Cup
114 : Concacaf Champions League
38 : Ligue 1
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