Ratings roundup: recapping the latest figures for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, USFL vs. XFL, motorsports and more.
Stanley Cup viewership holding up with brand names out
Thursday’s Panthers-Maple Leafs second round Stanley Cup playoff Game 2 averaged 1.46 million viewers on TNT, the largest audience of the second round thus far (not including Friday’s games) and up 5% from Lightning-Panthers in the same window last year (1.38M). Tuesday’s Game 1 drew 1.31 million on ESPN, down 1% from Lightning-Panthers (1.32M).
Kraken-Stars followed on both nights with an average of 1.41 million on ESPN Tuesday and 1.36 million on TNT Thursday, up 18% and down 8% from the respective games of Blues-Avalanche last year (1.20M; 1.48M).
In other action, Oilers-Golden Knights opened with 1.31 million on ESPN Wednesday — up 47% from Oilers-Flames a year ago (894K) — preceded by Devils-Hurricanes at 1.30 million, down 22% (vs. Rangers-Hurricanes: 1.66M).
USFL tops charts on XFL playoff weekend
The USFL delivered the two largest spring football audiences of last weekend — its first weekly win in the three weeks it has gone head-to-head with the XFL — as Memphis-Houston drew a 0.47 rating and 776,000 viewers on FOX last Saturday and Pittsburgh-Philadelphia 0.46 and 761,000 on NBC Sunday.
The two FOX windows last week — Memphis-Houston on Saturday and New Jersey-Michigan on Sunday (0.35, 563K) — won head-to-head matchups with the XFL playoffs on ESPN (Arlington-Houston: 0.38, 675K; Seattle-DC: 0.28, 478K).
No USFL or XFL game has cracked the million viewer mark in the three weeks the leagues have competed against each other. The XFL took top honors the previous week with a 0.51 and 832,000 for DC-San Antonio on ABC, as the USFL topped out at a 0.48 and 798,000 for Memphis-Birmingham on FOX.
F1, IndyCar and NASCAR all up last weekend
Last Sunday’s Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix averaged a 0.53 rating and 958,000 viewers on ESPN, the second-largest audience ever for the race behind 2021 (970K). Viewership increased 15% from last year and peaked at 1.06 million from 8:15-8:30 PM ET. The previous day’s sprint race was nearly as big a draw as the GP with 883,000.
F1 outdrew that day’s IndyCar race from Alabama on NBC, which averaged a 0.6 and 930,000 — flat in ratings and up 1% in viewership from last year (0.6, 920K). Including Peacock, the race average of 972,000 was the highest ever for the Alabama event (which primarily aired on NBCSN in past years).
NASCAR still delivered the largest racing audience of the week as the postponed Cup Series race from Dover drew 1.07 million on FS1 Monday, up 13% from last year’s Monday rainout at the same track (944K).
Plus: MLB, golf, UFC
- A Phillies-Astros World Series rematch averaged a 0.8 rating and 1.42 million viewers on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball last weekend, down from Phillies-Mets last year (0.9, 1.61M). FOX on Saturday drew a 0.6 and 986,000 for Cubs-Marlins, the third-smallest MLB audience ever on broadcast TV.
- Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Mexico Open averaged a 1.35 and 2.31 million on CBS last Sunday, down 5% in ratings but up 1% in viewership from last year (1.4, 2.28M). Third round action dipped 4% to a 0.9 and 1.40 million.
- Last Saturday’s UFC Fight Night averaged a 0.27 and 536,000 on ESPN2, the smallest audience for any live UFC card since a prelims telecast opposite the NFL Playoffs in January (346K).
For additional ratings reporting, see the following links:
— Despite blowouts, NBA continues ratings roll
— Lakers-Warriors Game 1 best early round game on cable since 2012
— Bruins’ Game 7 loss most-watched first round game in 11 years
(Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 5.3)
