Ratings Roundup: NFL in L.A., College Hoops, EPL

Rams games averaged an 8.0 rating in Los Angeles this season, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. That marks an 11% decline from last year, which was the team’s first after relocating from St. Louis (9.0). The Rams comfortably outdrew the Chargers, who averaged a 6.0 in their first season after relocating to L.A. from San Diego. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch 1.5 via Sports Business Daily 1.5]

Last Friday’s Louisville-Kentucky college basketball game had a 1.3 rating, down 24% from last year’s primetime game on ESPN (1.7) and down 28% from a Saturday afternoon matchup on CBS two years ago (1.8). The 1.3 is the lowest for the rivalry since at least 2012. Viewership was not immediately available.

In a rare December tripleheader the following day, CBS drew a 1.2 and 1.9 million for Villanova-Butler, a 1.1 and 1.7 million for Florida State-Duke, and a 0.7 and 994,000 for Wichita State-Connecticut on Saturday. CBS aired only one game on the comparable day last year (Louisville-Indiana: 0.85, 1.35M). [Sports Business Daily 1.5]

Last Saturday’s Southampton-Manchester United English Premier League match had a 0.6 rating and 932,000 viewers on the NBC broadcast network, flat in ratings and down 8% in viewership from last year (Leicester City-Chelsea: 0.6, 1.0M). The comparable week of last season took place in mid-January.

Two days later, Manchester United’s match against Everton scored 533,000 on NBCSN New Year’s Day (+5%). The two Red Devils matches were the most-watched of the week.

In other action, NBCSN scored a 0.32 (+19%) and 498,000 (+13%) for Liverpool-Leicester City on Saturday and a 0.25 (-54%) and 412,000 (-53%) for West Brom-Arsenal last Sunday. As for the midweek matches, Arsenal-Chelsea was the top draw with 367,000. [ShowBuzz Daily 1.3a, 1.3b, 1.4]