Premier Boxing Champions scored its largest audience in nearly two years. Also: historic lows for the Winter X Games, a decline for the Senior Bowl, and a bump for men’s figure skating.
Premier Boxing Champions hits high
The latest edition of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX earned a 1.3 rating and 1.98 million viewers last Saturday night, marking the most-watched PBC card on any network since March 2017 on CBS (1.9, 3.06M).
The telecast, which peaked with 2.77 million during the main event, was also the most-watched PBC card on FOX since January 2016 (1.6, 2.52M). Including viewership on Fox Deportes and Fox Sports GO, it had 2.17 million.
Head-to-head, PBC on FOX topped the competing NHL All-Star Game on NBC (1.1, 1.78M), but was trounced by the NBA on ABC (2.6, 4.29M).
Winter X Games audience smallest in years
The Winter X Games averaged 623,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, according to Sports Business Daily — down 27% from last year (851K), down 20% from 2017 (778K), and the lowest average for the event in at least 20 years. Average viewership has declined 40 percent from just four years ago (2015: 1.04M).
Senior Bowl down from last year’s high
College football’s Senior Bowl drew a 0.44 rating and 659,000 viewers on NFL Network last Saturday, down 12% in ratings and 16% in viewership from last year, the most-watched edition of the game since 2011 (0.55, 786K). Compared to 2017, ratings increased 7% (from 0.41) and viewership 8% (from 613K).
Bump for men’s competition at US Figure Skating Championships
Coverage of the men’s free skate at the US Figure Skating Championship had a 1.2 rating and 1.78 million viewers on NBC Sunday afternoon, up 145% in ratings and 112% in viewership from last year, when the competition aired in primetime on NBCSN (0.49, 840K). Compared to 2017, when it took place in the same Sunday afternoon window, ratings increased 24% (from 1.0) and viewership 26% (from 1.42M).
Figures for last Friday’s women’s free skate were previously reported here.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 1.31, Fox Sports PR 1.29]
