Recent sports TV ratings news, including Red Sox-Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball; new highs for the UCL knockout round; more increases for golf; and a bump for UFC 251 prelims.
Red Sox-Yankees does *not* hit Sunday night low (corrected)
Red Sox-Yankees averaged a combined 0.9 rating and 1.51 million viewers on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball last weekend, including a Statcast simulcast on ESPN2. The traditional airing on ESPN averaged a 0.8 and 1.28 million and the Statcast simulcast a 0.15 and 238,000.*
Ratings increased 29% and viewership 39% from the fourth Sunday night game last season (4/21/19 Braves-Indians: 0.7, 1.09M), but declined 18% and 14% respectively from the equivalent August date (8/18/19 Cubs-Pirates: 1.1, 1.76M).
The previous night, regional action featuring Red Sox-Yankees averaged a 1.1 and 1.80 million on FOX — the rivals’ least-watched meeting on that network since September 2016 (1.68M). The previous low was 2.07 million earlier this season.
In other action, TBS averaged a 0.28 and 418,000 for Dodgers-Angels Sunday afternoon — up 4% in both measures from its fourth window last season (7/28/19 Dodgers-Nationals: 0.27, 400K), but down 18% from the equivalent date (8/18/19 Dodgers-Braves: 0.34, 508K). ESPN chipped in a 0.23 and 330,000 for Indians-Tigers earlier in the day.
UCL quarters, semis, hitting highs
Bayern Munich’s rout of FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals averaged 1.36 million viewers across Univision and TUDN Friday, marking the largest UCL quarterfinal audience ever on U.S. television. It also ranks as the third-most watched soccer telecast of the year, behind a pair of Liga MX telecasts on Univision.
The match, which peaked with 1.52 million from 4-4:30 PM ET, was the most-watched sportscast of the day — topping NBA regular season and NHL playoff games.
On Saturday, Manchester City-Lyon averaged 1.18 million across Univision and TUDN, peaking at 1.26 million from 4-4:30 PM ET — ranking second all-time.
In other action, Tuesday’s Paris Saint Germain-RB Leipzig semifinal averaged 879,000 on Univision and TUDN, peaking at 897,000 from 4:30-5 PM ET — the largest UCL semifinal audience ever on a single outlet.
More increases for PGA Tour, USGA
Last Sunday’s final round of the PGA Tour Wyndham Championship averaged a 1.6 rating and 2.42 million viewers on CBS, up a third in ratings and 36% in viewership from last year (1.2, 1.77M) but down 11% and 9% respectively from 2018 (1.8, 2.65M).
Third round coverage on Saturday averaged a 1.1 (+12%) and 1.53 million (+5%). Since the PGA Tour season restarted in June, 16 of 20 CBS windows have increased over last year.
Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel averaged a 0.46 (+59%) and 694,000 (+73%) on Saturday and a 0.45 (+55%) and 682,000 (+58%) on Sunday.
Golf Channel also averaged a 0.29 and 472,000 for Sunday’s final of the U.S. Amateur, up 32% in ratings and 52% in viewership from last year on FOX (0.22, 310K). Viewership also increased 2% on Saturday (to 298K), 400% on Friday (to 220K) and 476% last Thursday (to 167K). The previous week’s U.S. Women’s Amateur also increased substantially.
UFC scores most-watched PPV prelims since May
UFC 252 prelims averaged a 0.49 rating and 831,000 viewers on ESPN, down 8% in ratings but up 3% in viewership from UFC 251 prelims last month (0.53, 809K). It ranks as the most-watched PPV prelims since UFC returned from hiatus in May (1.15M).
Leading into the broadcast, Top Rank Boxing averaged a 0.17 and 264,000 — the least-watched card since its resumption in June. Keep in mind it was the only afternoon card over that span.
* The original version of this post said that Sunday’s game was the least-watched Red Sox-Yankees matchup on ESPN since at least 2006. That was based on the ESPN-only audience.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 8.18, Univision]
