The Premier League season got off to a slightly slower start on the NBC family of networks, but NBCSN neared an opening weekend record on Sunday.
The Premier League opening weekend averaged 516,000 viewers across NBC and NBCSN, down 5% from last year (546K) but up 25% from 2016, when coverage aired on NBCSN and CNBC opposite the Olympics (413K).
Though down overall, the five matches on NBCSN posted a slight increase, rising 1% from 459,000 to 462,000. The network topped out at a 0.44 rating and 723,000 for Manchester City-Arsenal Sunday morning, flat in ratings and up 6% in viewership from last year (Man U-West Ham: 0.44, 680K) but down 4% and 3% respectively from 2016 (Arsenal-Liverpool: 0.46, 745K).
Man City’s win delivered the second-largest EPL opening weekend audience ever on U.S. cable, trailing only the 2016 match.
Earlier in the morning, West Ham-Liverpool had a 0.27 (flat) and 382,000 (-6%).
Shifting to the Saturday matches, NBC led the way with a 0.55 and 794,000 for Everton-Wolverhampton — down 8% in ratings and 13% in viewership from last year (Brighton-Man. City: 0.60, 915K). It was the least-watched opening weekend match on the NBC broadcast network since 2013 (Swansea-Man U: 792K).
On NBCSN earlier in the morning, Chelsea-Huddersfield had a 0.33 (flat) and 550,000 (+14%) and Tottenham-Newcastle started the day off with 274,000 (-25%). The latter match faced competition from the rescheduled second round of the PGA Championship on TNT, which included Tiger Woods (0.8, 1.1M).
Rounding out the opening week slate, last Friday’s Manchester United-Leicester City match had 340,000 (-9%).
[Numbers from NBC Sports, Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 8.13, 8.14]
