NASCAR ratings declined for a sixth-straight week to start the season. Plus: the PGA Tour scored its 11th increase in its past 14 windows on broadcast television; ABC’s NHL viewership continues to outpace last year; and more.
NASCAR down for sixth-straight week to start season
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Circuit of the Americas (Austin, Texas) averaged a 1.8 rating and 3.13 million viewers on FOX — down 17% in ratings and 16% in viewership from last year (2.2, 3.73M). All six Cup Series races this season have declined year-over-year, with the past four down double-digits.
Despite the decline, NASCAR was comfortably the most-watched sporting event of the weekend outside of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The race outdrew each of the NCAA women’s tournament games and the competing PGA Tour/WGC Match Play Championship.
PGA Tour scores 11th gain in past 14 rounds on broadcast TV
NBC coverage of the PGA Tour/WGC Match Play Championship averaged 2.13 million viewers on Saturday and 2.03 million on Sunday, up 17% and 3% respectively from last year (1.81 and 1.97 million). Viewership has now increased for 11 of the past 14 PGA Tour windows on broadcast television.
The network averaged a 1.3 rating both days, up 21% on Saturday and 2% on Sunday.
ABC’s NHL viewership continues to outpace last year
ABC averaged a 0.53 rating and 922,000 for its Capitals-Penguins NHL regular season game Saturday night, up 39% in ratings and 42% in viewership from Blackhawks-Golden Knights in an afternoon window last year (0.38, 651K). Eight of ABC’s 11 NHL windows this season have averaged at least 900,000 viewers, compared to just three of nine last year.
Even with the increase, the game lagged behind much of its competition — not just the NCAA men’s basketball tournament on TBS, but also the World Figure Skating Championships on NBC (1.32M) and a UFC Fight Night on ESPN (976K).
In other NHL action, TNT drew a 0.27 (-7%) and 462,000 (+3%) for Penguins-Avalanche last Wednesday night, followed by Coyotes-Oilers at a mere 0.09 and 150,000 (-25%). ESPN the following night drew a 0.19 and 312,000 for Penguins-Stars, preceded by Wild-Flyers at a 0.17 (+21%) and 308,000 (+4%).
Plus: NBA TV, UFC, NCAA hockey
NBA TV averaged a 0.40 rating and 687,000 viewers for Sunday’s Timberwolves-Warriors game, its largest audience of the season. … Saturday’s primetime coverage of the World Figure Skating Championships averaged a 0.9 and 1.32 million on NBC, up 30% in ratings and 32% in viewership from last year (0.7, 1.00M). … The latest UFC Fight Night on ESPN averaged a 0.50 and 976,000 Saturday night, down from the network’s previous main event in December (1.01M). … Sunday’s Penn State-Michigan NCAA men’s hockey tournament regional final averaged a 0.20 and 358,000 on ESPN2, up two-thirds in ratings and 58% in viewership from Minnesota-Western Michigan in the same window last year (0.12, 226K).
(Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 3.28)
