LigaMX coverage on Univision continues to deliver the largest soccer audiences on U.S. TV. In other news, NBC had a double-digit decline for the English Premier League, and the first game of NBC’s Hockey Day in America doubleheader declined.
Univision Tops Soccer Charts Yet Again
- The Cruz Azul/Chivas de Guadalajara Liga MX Clausura match drew a 0.8 final rating and 1.5 million viewers on Univision last Saturday, the most-watched soccer telecast of the week. Univision has now earned the top soccer audience in six of the past seven weeks. The match earned a larger audience than every English Premier League telecast ever on live U.S. TV.
Double-Digit Drop For EPL on NBC
- NBC drew a 0.5 final rating and 844,000 viewers for the Manchester City/Newcastle English Premier League match last Saturday, down 29% in ratings and 21% in viewership from Manchester United/Crystal Palace last year (0.7, 1.1M). Keep in mind last year’s match led into Olympics coverage. For the season, the match ranks eighth in viewership out of NBC’s 16 EPL telecasts.
Hockey Day Opener Down Big From ’13
- Last Sunday’s Capitals/Flyers NHL regular season game, the first game of a Hockey Day in America doubleheader, drew a 0.7 final rating and 1.0 million viewers on NBC — down 36% in ratings and 41% in viewership from Rangers/Penguins in 2013 (1.1, 1.7M) and down 46% and 47%, respectively, from regional coverage in 2012 (1.3, 1.9M). Last year’s Flyers/Capitals Hockey Day in America game, which aired in March due to the Olympics, also drew a 0.7 and 1.0 million.
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
