NBC earned its highest overnight of the season for English Premier League coverage. In other news, the much hyped Duke/Virginia college basketball game fell by double-digits and the NFL Honors scored a big increase.
NBC Earns Season-High EPL Overnight
- NBC earned a 1.0 overnight rating for the Chelsea/Manchester City English Premier League match Saturday afternoon, the network’s top EPL overnight of the season. The previous high was a 0.9 for Arsenal/Manchester United in November, which finished as the most-watched live EPL match ever on U.S. television.
Duke/UVA Down From Duke/Syracuse Last Year
- The Duke/Virginia college basketball game drew a 2.2 overnight rating on ESPN Saturday night, down 24% from Duke/Syracuse last year (2.9). Keep in mind that last year’s game, which went to overtime, earned ESPN’s fourth-highest college basketball overnight ever. Earlier in the day, North Carolina/Louisville drew a 1.7 overnight.
Overnights Up For NFL Awards Show
- The fourth annual NFL Honors earned a 3.0 overnight rating on NBC Saturday night, up 50% from last year on FOX (2.0) and up a tick from 2013 on CBS (2.9). To put the numbers in perspective, the most recent Heisman Trophy Presentation drew a 2.0 overnight on ESPN. Saturday’s telecast topped all non-NFL sports programs for the weekend.
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
