The Manchester United-Chelsea rivalry gave a big boost to NBCSN’s Premier League ratings. In other news, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NHRA both posted declines on FS1 last weekend.
Manchester United-Chelsea Up Big
Last Sunday’s Manchester United-Chelsea English Premier League match had a 0.47 rating and 689,000 viewers on NBCSN, up 81% in ratings and 59% in viewership from Liverpool-Burnley last year, which aired in a later window (0.26, 434K). Compared to the sides’ first meeting of the season back in November, ratings were flat but viewership fell 12% from 782,000.
It was not the top Premier League match of the weekend. That distinction went to Watford-Everton on NBC Saturday, which had a 0.62 and 904,000. There was no comparable window last year.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Liverpool-West Ham drew a 0.23 and 354,000 on CNBC Saturday (+30%) and Leicester City-Stoke had a 0.22 and 304,000. In non-league action, Arsenal-Manchester City drew a 0.41 and 672,000 in a Sunday morning EFL Cup match on ESPN.
NASCAR Xfinity Down at Atlanta
The NASCAR Xfinity Series from Atlanta earned a 0.8 rating and 1.1 million viewers on FS1 last Saturday, down a tick in ratings and 16% in viewership from last year (1.0, 1.36M) and down 20% and 21% respectively from 2016 (1.0, 1.44M). The race had not previously aired opposite the Olympics.
NHRA Down in Second Outing
Taped NHRA eliminations from Phoenix scored a 0.29 rating and 485,000 viewers on FS1 last Sunday, down 19% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (0.36, 546K) and down 31% and 25% respectively from 2016 (0.42, 645K).
[Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 2.27]
