NFL ratings continue to rise on FOX. Also: the latest numbers for the NBA, Formula 1 and NHL.
Yet another increase for NFL on FOX
Sunday’s Week 8 NFL singleheader (mostly Eagles-Bills or Panthers-49ers) averaged a 10.0 rating and 17.41 million viewers on FOX, the highest for the window in Week 8 of the season since 2014 (ft. Eagles-Cardinals: 11.0, 18.35M).
Ratings increased 9% and viewership 12% from last year (9.2, 15.52M) and 12% and 15% respectively from 2017 (8.9, 15.16M), both of which aired on CBS.
Fourteen of 17 windows on FOX this season have increased (including Thursday night games), and 11 of those have hit multi-year highs. FOX is now averaging 18.66 million for its Sunday games (+8%), its highest average since 2016.
Friday NBA down double-digits opposite World Series
Last Friday’s Jazz-Lakers NBA regular season game averaged a 1.2 rating and 1.78 million viewers on ESPN, down 14% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year (Warriors-Jazz: 1.4, 2.27M) and down 20% and 27% respectively from 2017 (Warriors-Pelicans: 1.5, 2.43M).
Earlier in the night, Mavericks-Pelicans averaged a 0.7 (-42%) and 1.10 million (-39%).
Keep in mind that the games faced competition from Game 3 of the World Series, while the previous years’ games faced no such competition.
F1 viewership continues to rise
The Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix averaged a 0.6 rating and 850,000 viewers on ABC Sunday afternoon, marking the largest audience for the race since it returned to the schedule in 2015.
The race, which peaked with 1.01 million viewers, was the 15th of 18 to increase this season.
F1 coverage is averaging 671,000 viewers on the ESPN family of networks, up 19% from last year (561K) and up 24% from 2017 (542K).
Blues-Bruins rematch among top games of young season
NBCSN averaged a 0.22 rating and 389,000 viewers for a Blues-Bruins Stanley Cup Final rematch Saturday night, ranking fourth out of the network’s 14 windows this season. The Blues’ two appearances both rank in the top four.
In the nightcap, the Flames-Jets Heritage Classic averaged 176,000. The previous Heritage Classic three years ago aired on NHL Network, which is not Nielsen rated.
In other action, the network averaged a 0.21 and 356,000 (+113%) for Penguins-Lightning last Wednesday, and 301,000 viewers for Lightning-Rangers this past Tuesday (+33%).
[Nielsen estimates from Fox Sports PR, ShowBuzz Daily 10.29, 10.30]
