FOX scored its largest afternoon MLB audience in a decade; the Bruins and Penguins continue to dominate NHL ratings; a move from FOX to FS1 sank NASCAR at Richmond; the PGA Tour Texas Open hit a viewership low.
FOX scores largest daytime MLB audience in a decade
Saturday’s season premiere of Major League Baseball on FOX — Giants-Yankees in most markets — averaged a 1.2 rating and 2.21 million viewers, the network’s largest audience in a decade for an afternoon regular season window (excluding a Red Sox-Yankees game from London in 2019).
Viewership increased 10% from the FOX regular season average a year ago (2.01M). Not counting the months-delayed season three years ago, FOX had not carried a game on the opening weekend of play since 2013.
In other action, Phillies-Rangers averaged a combined 0.9 and 1.56 million viewers on the season premiere of Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and ESPN2 — down 37% in ratings and viewership from Red Sox-Yankees on the opening weekend of last season (1.4, 2.48M). The main game broadcast on ESPN posted a far steeper decline (1.31M, -41%) than the “KayRod” alternate presentation on ESPN (245K, -7%).
Rounding out the weekend slate, FS1 drew a mere 0.12 and 198,000 for Guardians-Mariners on Saturday night — well below the network’s Red Sox-Yankees opener last season (0.35, 606K).
Bruins, Penguins, continue to dominate NHL ratings
ABC averaged a 0.6 rating and 1.14 million viewers for Saturday’s Bruins-Penguins NHL regular season game, up 23% in ratings and 15% in viewership from Penguins-Avalanche last year (0.52, 990K) and the second-largest audience of the season behind only the same matchup in the Winter Classic (1.78M). Nine of the ten most-watched NHL windows this season have featured either the Bruins or Penguins, the lone exception being Capitals-Hurricanes in the Stadium Series.
On Sunday, Bruins-Blues drew a 0.35 and 671,000 on TNT — up 106% in ratings and 92% in viewership from Islanders-Devils last year (0.17, 349K) and the network’s third-largest audience of the season. The Rangers-Capitals lead-in drew a 0.22 and 390,000.
Rounding out the weekend action, an inexplicable Devils-Blackhawks game on ESPN2 opposite the men’s Final Four averaged a mere 0.11 and 188,000.
Move from FOX to FS1 sinks NASCAR at Richmond; F1 Aussie GP down
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Richmond averaged a 1.3 rating and 2.30 million viewers on FS1, down 43% in ratings and 42% in viewership from last year on the FOX broadcast network (2.3, 3.96M) and the least-watched edition of the race since at least 2000. Keep in mind it was the first edition of the race in some time to air on cable.
Compared to the first race on FS1 last season, Martinsville on a lower-rated Saturday night, Kyle Larson’s win increased 18% in ratings and 22% in viewership from a 1.1 and 1.89 million.
In other racing action, the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix averaged a 0.30 and 556,000 on ESPN Saturday night — down 12% and 2% respectively from last year (0.34, 568K) and actually below qualifying the night before (0.36, 605K). The qualifying telecast aired on the same night ESPN carried the Women’s Final Four, which likely explains the elevated viewing.
PGA Tour Texas Open hits low; ANWA washout down as well
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Texas Open averaged a 1.15 rating and 1.81 million viewers on NBC, down 21% in ratings and 22% in viewership from last year (1.5, 2.32M) and the tournament’s lowest rated and least-watched final round on broadcast in at least a decade.
Third round action on Saturday drew a 0.85 and 1.32 million, both down 22% year-over-year. Figures for the competing LIV Golf event on The CW were not immediately available.
In other action, tape delayed coverage of the weather-delayed Augusta National Women’s Amateur averaged a 0.49 and 747,000 on NBC Sunday, with live action on Golf Channel at a 0.25 and 433,000 later in the day. Last year’s coverage, which aired as scheduled, averaged a 0.59 and 859,000 on NBC.
(Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 4.4)
