The MLS is Back Tournament ended on a quiet note in the ratings. Plus: Premier Boxing Champions was less of a draw in its return to FOX; “Hard Knocks” got off to a rough start; the US Women’s Amateur hit highs in its return to Golf Channel.
Quiet finish for MLS is Back
The recently-completed MLS is Back Tournament averaged 226,000 viewers across the ESPN family of networks, down 23% from ESPN’s season-to-date average at the same point last year (293K). Excluding 9 AM ET windows, the average was 257,000 — down a more modest 12%.
Tuesday’s Portland-Orlando final averaged 394,000 across ESPN and ESPN Deportes, ranking third for the tournament behind the Orlando-Miami opener July 8 (503K) and Seattle-San Jose two nights later (408K).
By comparison, the final of the NWSL Challenge Cup averaged 653,000 last month, though that match aired on broadcast television (CBS) and faced less competition.
Stinker start for “Hard Knocks”
The season premiere of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” averaged 273,000 viewers Tuesday night, down 61% from last year (705K) and down 59% from 2018 (667K). It snapped a streak of 12-straight episodes — dating back to 2017 — to average at least 500,000. As noted by Sports Business Journal writer Austin Karp, there is no record of a “Hard Knocks” episode averaging fewer viewers.
PBC down in return to FOX, but cruises past Top Rank
The return of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX averaged a 0.6 rating and 885,000 viewers last Saturday night, down a third in ratings and 39% in viewership from the previous edition in March (0.9, 1.44M). Despite the drop, the telecast more-than-doubled the most-watched Top Rank card since that series returned in June (418K).
US Women’s Amateur surges in return to Golf Channel
The final of the U.S. Women’s Amateur — the first USGA event since NBC re-acquired rights from Fox Sports — averaged 219,000 viewers on Golf Channel last Sunday, up 105% from last year on FS1 and the most-watched since 2006.
Last Saturday’s semifinals averaged 148,000 (+68%), also the best since 2006. The event also averaged its largest weekday audience on record last Friday (211K).
In other women’s golf action, the opening round of last week’s LPGA Tour Marathon Open — the first event back from hiatus — delivered the Tour’s largest Thursday audience in more than two years (200K).
[Nielsen estimates from ESPN, ShowBuzz Daily 8.11, 8.12, Golf Channel PR, Austin Karp/Twitter 8.12]
