Ratings: Racing, NHL and more

Last Sunday’s Formula 1 United States Grand Prix averaged a 0.7 rating and 1.34 million viewers on ABC, down 5% in ratings and viewership from last year (0.7, 1.41M). Figures exclude pre-race coverage. Including the pre-race, ABC averaged a 0.6 and 1.11 million.

The race averaged a 0.37 rating in adults 18-49, a 0.29 in 18-34 and a 0.44 in 25-54, comfortably beating the same-day NASCAR Cup Series race from Homestead-Miami in 18-49 (478K to 425K). (Comparisons to NASCAR in 18-34 and 25-54 were not immediately available.)

The NASCAR race was a considerably bigger draw overall, averaging a 1.4 and 2.31 million on NBC. Ratings and viewership fell sharply from last year’s Homestead race, which aired in the higher-rated early portion of the season and did not face football (2.5, ~4.2M). Compared to the same weekend last season, ratings increased a tick and viewership 9% from Kansas on NBCSN (1.3, 2.1M).

Tuesday’s Avalanche-Rangers NHL regular season game averaged a 0.41 rating and 750,000 viewers on ESPN, nearly doubling Golden Knights-Avalanche opposite the World Series last year (0.24, ~385K) and the most-watched game of the young season. Viewership surpassed Lightning-Rangers on Opening Night (744K). The Golden Knights-Sharks nightcap chipped in 319,000.

On TNT the following night, Rangers-Islanders drew a 0.28 and 550,000, leading into Lightning-Ducks with 270,000 viewers. TNT drew a 0.19 and around 300,000 for a solo Flyers-Oilers game last year. Rounding out the recent action, Ducks-Red Wings drew a season-low 187,000 in a rare Sunday matinee on ESPN last weekend.

Last weekend’s Chelsea-Manchester United English Premier League match averaged 1.2 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, marking the largest EPL audience since the opening month of last season (Liverpool-Chelsea: 1.4M). NBC alone averaged a 0.48 and 912,000. … Coverage of Skate America, the first event in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, averaged a 0.48 and 760,000 on NBC last Saturday — a four-year low. Cable viewership topped out at a 0.15 and 233,000 on USA Network last Saturday night. … The first leg of the Liga MX Apertura final averaged 1.68 million viewers on Univision Thursday night, down from last year’s first leg in the traditional December date (~1.8M). This year’s final is taking place earlier than usual to accommodate the November World Cup.