More ratings: F1, Quail Hollow, soccer and more

Formula 1 races are averaging 893,000 viewers on the ESPN family of networks so far this season, up 64% from the same number of races in 2019 (544K). Each of the four races thus far ranks among the 11 most-watched F1 events ever on cable.

Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix averaged a 0.55 rating and 857,000 viewers, the event’s largest audience ever on cable and third-largest audience overall.

Keep in mind that each of the first four races has aired in a Sunday morning window on ESPN, while two of the first four aired overnight — and three of four on ESPN2 — in 2019.

Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Quail Hollow (N.C.) tournament averaged a 1.8 rating and 3.05 million viewers on CBS Sunday afternoon, the largest audience for the tournament since 2015. Rory McIlroy’s win, which peaked with 4.27 million from 5:45-6 PM ET, jumped 13% in ratings and 24% in viewership from the last time the tournament was held in 2019 (1.6, 2.46M).

The previous day’s third round averaged a 1.3 and 2.04 million, flat and up 13% respectively from 2018 — the last time the third round aired as scheduled (1.3, 1.80M). It was the tournament’s highest rated third round since 2015.

21 of the last 28 PGA Tour windows on broadcast television have increased over the previous year.

Saturday’s Chelsea-Manchester City English Premier League match averaged 1.32 million viewers across NBC Sports’ TV and digital platforms, per The Athletic, easily the largest soccer audience on a weekend that included matches on each of the “Big Four” broadcast networks. On NBC alone, it had a 0.6 rating and 970,000 viewers.

A Sunday Liga MX match on TUDN ranked second (862K), followed by the LAFC-LA Galaxy “El Trafico” Major League Soccer match on FOX and Fox Deportes (695K) and Sunday’s Sounders-Timbers match on ABC and ESPN Deportes (641K).

In other action on broadcast, the first half of ABC’s Sunday MLS doubleheader (Inter Miami-Atlanta) averaged a 0.32 rating and 557,000 viewers and Saturday’s NWSL Challenge Cup Final (Portland-Gotham) drew a 0.35 and 534,000 — down 18% from last year, when it aired unopposed (653K). NBC’s West Brom-Arsenal EPL match brought up the rear with a 0.28 and 483,000.

Saturday’s USATF Golden Games track and field event, which saw Seahawks WR DK Metcalf participate in the 100 meters, averaged a 0.49 rating and 861,000 viewers on NBC — down from the network’s previous track and field event in February (U.S. Indoor Championships: 0.64, 990K). … The Spring League (football) made its FOX debut Saturday with a 0.24 and 380,000 viewers, little more than half the audience of a competing FCS college football semifinal on ABC (James Madison-Sam Houston State: 0.45, 706K). … Speaking of the FCS, the semifinals averaged 620,000 viewers across ESPN and ABC — up 87% from 2019, when the games aired in December on ESPN2. … The latest UFC main event on ESPN pulled a 0.43 and 741,000 Saturday night, down 22% in ratings and viewership from the network’s previous main event in mid-April (0.55, 953K), but up 30% and 38% respectively from the previous week’s main event on ESPN2 (0.33, 538K).