Week two XFL ratings sank double-digits from week one, but the numbers are still on the healthy side.
Sunday’s Dallas-Los Angeles XFL game averaged a 1.5 rating and 2.40 million viewers on ABC, down 29% in ratings and viewership from the similar window on FOX last week (Tampa Bay-New York: 2.1, 3.39M).
It was the top XFL window of week two, but trailed all four week one games.
The previous day, FOX averaged a 1.5 and 2.32 million for Tampa Bay-Seattle — down 21% in ratings and 29% in viewership from last week (Los Angeles-Houston: 1.9, 3.29M). ABC pulled a 1.35 and 2.15 million for New York-DC, both down 35% from last week (Seattle-DC: 2.1, 3.30M).
In its XFL debut, FS1 brought up the rear with a 0.8 and 1.36 million for St. Louis-Houston Sunday evening — down 43% and 45% respectively from the similar window on ESPN last week (St. Louis-Dallas: 1.4, 2.50M).
For the weekend, the XFL games ranked fifth, sixth, seventh and 11th among sporting events.
Despite the lower numbers, the XFL was still a substantially stronger draw in week two than last year’s Alliance of American Football. Week two of the AAF topped out at a 0.6 and 1.02 million on TNT, with games on NFL Network averaging less than a 0.3 and 500,000.
The question at the end of a successful week one was whether the XFL could sustain those numbers into the following week. After the double-digit declines, the question going into week three is where the numbers will stabilize. If week two numbers are the rule, the XFL still looks like a healthy springtime attraction. If the ratings keep dropping, there might be an issue.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 2.19]
