Ratings: MLS Opener, Premier League, College Hoops

ESPN’s first Major League Soccer match of the season, Sounders-LAFC last Sunday, had a 0.29 rating and 456,000 viewers — up 16% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (Orlando City-NYC FC: 0.25, 411K) and up 32% and 26% respectively from 2016 (Timbers-Crew: 0.22, 362K). It was the most-watched MLS opener on the ESPN family of networks since 2015 (Orlando City-NYC FC: 539K).

In primetime on FS1, Sporting KC-NYC FC had 168,000 (-55%) and Galaxy-Timbers 180,000. Those matches faced the Academy Awards. Figures for Univision’s opening match on Saturday were not immediately available.

Last Sunday’s Manchester City-Chelsea English Premier League match drew a 0.37 rating and 567,000 viewers on NBCSN, up 23% in ratings and 19% in viewership from last year (Tottenham-Southampton: 0.30, 478K) and the top EPL match of the week. Brighton-Arsenal had a 0.23 (+5%) and 339,000 (+13%) earlier in the morning.

The previous day, NBCSN drew a 0.29 and 476,000 (+71%) for Liverpool-Newcastle, a 0.30 (-6%) and 474,000 (-9%) for Tottenham-Huddersfield, and 204,000 (-48%) for Burnley-Everton drew 204,000 (-48%). Bookending the week, Arsenal-Manchester City had 178,000 last Thursday and Crystal Palace-Manchester United 264,000 on Monday.

Tuesday’s Gonzaga-BYU WCC Tournament final had a 0.6 rating and 877,000 viewers on ESPN, down a third in ratings and 38% in viewership from last year (0.9, 1.4M) and down a tick and 11% respectively from 2016 (0.7, 980K). Gonzaga played St. Mary’s both years. It was the least-watched WCC title game since at least 2011.

The previous night’s Gonzaga-San Francisco semifinal had a 0.46 (-18%) and 721,000 (-20%).

In other action, Tuesday’s Wright State-Cleveland State Horizon League final had a 0.31 and 443,000 (-46%) and Monday’s Fairfield-Iona MAAC final had a 0.39 and 565,000 (+96%). The latter game moved up from ESPN2 to ESPN.

Going back to the weekend, Sunday’s Loyola Chicago-Illinois State Missouri Valley Championship had a 1.2 (+33%) and 1.76 million (+30%) on CBS — the largest audience for the game since 2011 (Indiana St.-Missouri St.: 1.84M).