IndyCar ratings got off to a flat start on ABC last weekend. In other news, ESPN posted a big increase for its latest Top Rank Boxing card, the NCAA wrestling championships opened with a slight bump, and MLS outdrew the Premier League last weekend.
IndyCar Ratings Flat, Viewership Down, in Opener
Last Sunday’s IndyCar season opener from St. Petersburg earned a 0.8 rating and 1.14 million viewers on ABC, flat in ratings and down 5% in viewership from last year (0.8, 1.20M) and down 20% and 18% respectively from 2016 (1.0, 1.39M). Though barely, it was the least-watched IndyCar opener since 2015 (891K).
Top Rank Boxing Rebounds on ESPN
Airing directly after the ACC Tournament final, ESPN’s Top Rank Boxing scored a 0.7 rating and 1.1 million viewers last Saturday night — up 51% in ratings and 54% in viewership from the network’s previous card last month (0.45, 703K). That telecast had a weaker lead-in from the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
It was the most-watched Top Rank card on ESPN since a post-Heisman telecast last December (1.0, 1.7M).
NCAA Wrestling Championship Opens With Slight Bump
Night one of the NCAA wrestling championships delivered 305,000 viewers on ESPN Thursday night, up 1% from last year (303K) and up 154% from 2016, when coverage aired on ESPNU (120K). Figures include streaming and are compared to last year’s TV-only numbers, notable given the slight increase over last year.
MLS Beats EPL Last Weekend
Last Sunday’s Atlanta-D.C. Major League Soccer match scored a 0.37 rating and 576,000 viewers on ESPN, up 107% in viewership from Minnesota-Atlanta on ESPN2 last year (278K). The match outdrew all five Premier League windows on NBCSN last weekend.
[Numbers from ShowBuzz Daily 3.13]
