UFC 246 prelims could not quite match last year. Also: Louisville-Duke ratings fell sharply from a top-five matchup last year; miscellaneous numbers for other events.
UFC 246 prelims down from same weekend last year
Saturday’s UFC 246 prelims averaged a 1.1 rating and 1.77 million viewers on ESPN, down a tick in ratings and 10% in viewership from the same weekend last year, which marked ESPN’s UFC debut (1.2, 1.96M). Despite the drop, it was the highest rated and most-watched UFC event since that year-ago telecast.
The telecast outdrew competing Premier Boxing Champions coverage on FOX, which averaged a 0.8 and 1.30 million. It also comfortably topped its lead-out, Top Rank Boxing (0.46, 704K).
Louisville-Duke down sharply from top five clash last year
Last Saturday’s Louisville-Duke college basketball game averaged a 1.3 rating and 2.15 million viewers on ESPN, down 43% in ratings and viewership from Virginia-Duke last year (2.3, 3.76M), but up 63% and 65% respectively from 2018 (Baylor-Kansas: 0.8, 1.31M). Earlier in the day, Kentucky-Arkansas drew a 1.0 and 1.62 million.
In other Saturday action, CBS drew a 0.75 (+23%) and 1.14 million (+31%) for Oregon-Washington and a 0.7 (+30%) and 1.02 million (+26%) for Auburn-Florida, while FOX drew a 0.43 and 566,000 for Seton Hall-St. John’s and a 0.39 (-43%) and 464,000 (-57%) for Colorado-Arizona.
On Friday night, FS1 scored its largest college basketball audience ever with a 0.39 and 685,000 for Michigan-Iowa.
Miscellaneous: NHL, East-West Shrine Game, Bowling
Bruins-Penguins averaged a 0.8 rating and 1.20 million viewers on the NHL on NBC Sunday, up a tick in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (Capitals-Blackhawks: 0.7, 1.16M) and up a tick and 6% respectively from 2018 (Flyers-Capitals: 0.7, 1.13M). … Saturday’s college football East-West Shrine Game averaged a 0.22 rating (-19%) and 338,000 viewers (-14%) on NFL Network. … The PBA Tour Hall of Fame Classic averaged 304,000 viewers on FS1 last Sunday, up 38% from coverage in an earlier window last year (220K).
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 1.22 a, b; Fox Sports]
