Recent sports TV ratings, including a college basketball national championship rematch, NHL action on NBCSN, and auto racing.
Michigan-Villanova Rematch Up Big Despite Rout
Wednesday’s Michigan-Villanova men’s college basketball game, a rematch of last season’s national championship, earned 406,000 viewers on FS1 — up 61% from last year (Indiana-Seton Hall: 252K) and up 192% from 2016 (Northwestern-Butler: 139K). According to Fox Sports, it was one of the ten most-watched regular season college basketball games ever on FS1.
Elsewhere in college hoops, Thursday’s Syracuse-Connecticut game on ESPN2 had a 0.29 rating and 464,000 viewers (+155%).
Decline For NBCSN Wednesday Night Hockey
Blues-Blackhawks scored a 0.26 rating and 407,000 viewers on the latest edition of NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Hockey, down 19% in ratings and 25% in viewership from last year (Rangers-Blackhawks: 0.32, 541K) and down a tick and 12% respectively from 2016 (Penguins-Capitals: 0.27, 463K).
The Ducks-Golden Knights nightcap had 230,000. On Tuesday night, Lightning-Sabres scored 243,000 (+13%).
NASCAR Xfinity Series Dips at Phoenix
NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Phoenix delivered a 0.9 rating and 1.39 million viewers on NBC last Saturday, down a tick in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year (1.0, 1.53M), but up 50% and 32% respectively from 2016 on NBCSN (0.6, 1.06M).
In other racing action, the recently-concluded NHRA season averaged 538,000 viewers on Fox Sports, per Sports Business Daily — down 11% from last year (605K).
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 11.13, 11.14, 11.15; Programming Insider 11.16; Sports Business Daily 11.14; Fox Sports PR/Twitter 11.15]
