The first edition of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX rebounded from the previous primetime editions on broadcast television.
The debut of the PBC on FOX earned a 1.5 final rating and 2.5 million viewers Saturday night, up 36% in ratings and 39% in viewership from the previous PBC event on primetime network television, on NBC in December (1.1, 1.8M).
Viewership was the highest for the PBC in nine months, since NBC scored 2.9 million last April, and the third-highest in the short history of the series. Only the debut telecast last March (3.4M) and the aforementioned April telecast had a larger audience.
Though strong for the PBC, Saturday’s telecast does not compare well to the UFC on FOX. The 1.5 rating ties the second-lowest mark ever for the UFC on FOX (17 telecasts), ahead of only a 1.4 for coverage opposite the Olympics in 2012. Only five of the 17 UFC on FOX cards have earned a smaller audience.
Head-to-head, the PBC trailed both NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC (2.4, 3.9M) and the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on NBC (2.3, 3.7M). Among adults 18-49, it edged the figure skating telecast (0.8 to 0.6) but still trailed the NBA by a wide margin (1.5).
(Sat. numbers via Programming Insider)
