FS1 Topped ESPN in Ratings Last Week For the First Time in Its History

[Tugg Speedman]

Fox Sports 1 Topped ESPN in Ratings Last Week For the First Time in Its History


http://www.mediaite.com/online/fox-sports-1-topped-espn-in-ratings-last-week-for-the-first-time-in-its-history/

For the first time since it launched in August 2013, Fox Sports 1 drew higher ratings than ESPN over an entire week. Sports TV Ratings reports that not only did FS1 beat the perennial market leader, it dominated them by a margin of 1.5 million total viewers in primetime, and nearly 400,000 in the advertiser coveted 18-49 demographic. That was enough to give the upstart network a 70,000 viewer victory in total ratings over ESPN. (Although ESPN did prevail by 53,000 viewers in the 18-49 demo.)

Naturally, FS1 was quick to trumpet the news:



For the moment, this cannot be considered anything more than a total fluke, as FS1 televised four Chicago Cubs playoff games during the week in which the ratings were measured. And the Cubs have, as expected, been ratings gold.

Still, it's a breakthrough that the network has been seeking for quite some time. And it will be worth watching what effect, if any, the Cubs' run will have on the channel's other programming going forward.

[Tugg Speedman]

http://awfulannouncing.com/2016/nlcs-game-6-draws-yuuuuge-numbers-for-fs1.html

Last night's NLCS Game 6 gave FS1 yet another overnight ratings record in the history of the young network and Senior Vice President of Programming, Research, and Content Strategy for Fox, Michael Mulvihill gleefully tweeted out the numbers:

Michael Mulvihill ‏@mulvihill79
6.3/12 over night for NLCS Game 6.
- #1 event of the day
- #1 network in prime
- #1 game of postseason
- #1 event ever on FS1


That beats all college football games either on ABC, CBS, ESPN and even Fox! According to the Sports TV Ratings Twitter account, Ohio State-Penn State on ABC that was also airing at the same time received a 4.2 overnight rating.



So ... how come the election is not hurting baseball like football?

[Mr. Nielsen]

The key is also, FS1 won in total day viewership. Undisputed with Ship and Shannon at 8:30am. The Herd at 11am numbers have skyrocketed since it now has a lead-in. Speak for Yourself at 4pm is still finding it's footing. Nascar Racecar Hub at 5pm has always been a solid show for FS1.

College football ratings have been solid. Helps having the Red River Shootout in Oklahoma vs Texas. #4 Washington at #16 Utah is one of the biggest games this weekend with ESPN College Gameday from Salt Lake City and the game can only be seen at 2:30pm on FS1.

[T-Bone]

So ... how come the election is not hurting baseball like football?

Selig is gone and no longer bungling things.  Purists are happy, as are bandwagoneers.

Goodell is still there and bungling things.  I'd give him one year, if the owners cared about their perception.  But they don't and are making gobs of money, and will continue to do so for a generation.  (I say generation, as there are more and more parents that are moving their kids away from footbaw for the sake of long term injuries.  Ultimately that will lead to a lower quality product on the field.) 

[GGGG]

Selig is gone and no longer bungling things.  Purists are happy, as are bandwagoneers.

Goodell is still there and bungling things.  I'd give him one year, if the owners cared about their perception.  But they don't and are making gobs of money, and will continue to do so for a generation.  (I say generation, as there are more and more parents that are moving their kids away from footbaw for the sake of long term injuries.  Ultimately that will lead to a lower quality product on the field.) 

I think commissioners are reflections of the owners that hire them.  The NFL's owners boxes are basically filled with mostly older guys who have come from old money or whose families have owned the teams for generation.  They in turn hired an old school guy.  Transparency isn't a value.  Marketing is staid.  Problems, such as concussions or players of poor character, are covered up.

MLB used to be that way.  It seems like a younger generation of owners, much like the NBA, have tried to make the game more "user friendly."  From drug testing to pace of play to the in-game experience, Manfred seems to have a different style than Selig.  One much better suited for this generation.

The NBA has always taken the lead in that regard, first with Stern and now with Silver.  I mean there are rumors that the next contract with the NBAPA will be settled before this season even begins.  No need to be confrontational with labor when things are going well.  Hear that NFL?

[T-Bone]

I think commissioners are reflections of the owners that hire them.  The NFL's owners boxes are basically filled with mostly older guys who have come from old money or whose families have owned the teams for generation.  They in turn hired an old school guy.  Transparency isn't a value.  Marketing is staid.  Problems, such as concussions or players of poor character, are covered up.

MLB used to be that way.  It seems like a younger generation of owners, much like the NBA, have tried to make the game more "user friendly."  From drug testing to pace of play to the in-game experience, Manfred seems to have a different style than Selig.  One much better suited for this generation.

The NBA has always taken the lead in that regard, first with Stern and now with Silver.  I mean there are rumors that the next contract with the NBAPA will be settled before this season even begins.  No need to be confrontational with labor when things are going well.  Hear that NFL?

Agree. 

[Pakuni]

So ... how come the election is not hurting baseball like football?

One word: Cubs.
Television ratings for the ALCS  were pretty crappy. Game 1, for example, finished 16th among basic cable programming for its week in the 18-49 demo, behind the likes of "Teen Mom" and "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."

[Mr. Nielsen]

One word: Cubs.
Television ratings for the ALCS  were pretty crappy. Game 1, for example, finished 16th among basic cable programming for its week in the 18-49 demo, behind the likes of "Teen Mom" and "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."

To be fair to the ALCS. You had a Canadian team and almost every game was a mid afternoon game.

[Mr. Nielsen]

https://mobile.twitter.com/FOXSportsPR/status/790669520138477568

[Tugg Speedman]

One word: Cubs.
Television ratings for the ALCS  were pretty crappy. Game 1, for example, finished 16th among basic cable programming for its week in the 18-49 demo, behind the likes of "Teen Mom" and "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."

Those were also afternoon games

[Babybluejeansfan]

One word: Cubs.
Television ratings for the ALCS  were pretty crappy. Game 1, for example, finished 16th among basic cable programming for its week in the 18-49 demo, behind the likes of "Teen Mom" and "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."

SEC football, also not impacted by elections. 

[Pakuni]

Those were also afternoon games

No.
Game 1 of the ALCS started at 8 p.m. EDT.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=361014105

[Pakuni]

SEC football, also not impacted by elections.

Daytime games, true. Then again, the NFL Sunday afternoon ratings are down only a bit. It's the primetime games that have been getting killed.
Wonder what's up with the SEC prime time ratings?
Let's check in with ESPN, which carries SEC games on Saturday nights.
Huh ...

Saturday's Mississippi/Arkansas college football game had 2.5 million viewers on ESPN, down 64% from Florida/LSU last year (6.8M) and down 30% from Alabama/Arkansas in an earlier window two years ago (3.7M). Ratings also fell 63% year-over-year (3.90 to 1.45M).

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2016/10/college-football-ratings-espn-big-declines-viewership/

Last Saturday's Alabama/Arkansas college football game earned 4.4 million viewers on ESPN, down 8% from the same matchup last year (4.8M) but up 18% from LSU/Auburn in 2014 (3.7M). Ratings fell 11% from last year (2.86 to 2.55).
http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2016/10/college-football-ratings-espn-viewership-alabama-arkansas/

Shifting to Saturday, Kentucky/Alabama had a 1.9 and 3.2 million on ESPN Saturday night — down 10% in ratings and 15% in viewership from Mississippi/LSU last year (2.1, 3.7M) and flat and down 6%, respectively, from Missouri/South Carolina in 2014 (1.9, 3.4M).
http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2016/10/college-football-ratings-espn-stanford-washington-viewership-alabama-kentucky/

Earlier in the night, Texas A&M/Auburn had a 1.2 and 2.1 million viewers — down 37% in ratings and 35% in viewership from South Carolina/Georgia in an earlier timeslot last year (1.9, 3.2M)
http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2016/09/college-football-ratings-espn-texas-cal-viewership-down/

ESPN scored a 1.5 final rating and 2.5 million viewers for Arkansas/TCU, down 38% in ratings and 40% in viewership from an earlier Oklahoma/Tennessee game last year (2.4, 4.1M) and down 42% and 43%, respectively, from a later Virginia Tech/Ohio State game in 2014 (2.6, 4.3M)
http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2016/09/college-football-ratings-espn-alabama-viewership/

Is it hard keeping up with all your screen names?

[mu03eng]

Generally avoid the ratings debate of late but I think you've hit on something Pakuni. It's prime time ratings that are most impacted, not the "standard" game times. I think what that likely indicates is that casual viewers are being lost a lot more than hardcore sports viewers. I get that's a no kidding, but you
Don't get new hardcore viewers without making them casual viewers first. Speaks to the issues leagues will have a couple of years from now.

[bradley center bat]

Those ESPN games were down because the match-ups were just not as good as in 2015. While, ABC ratings have been up, since luck of the draw have had better match-ups.

[GGGG]

Those ESPN games were down because the match-ups were just not as good as in 2015. While, ABC ratings have been up, since luck of the draw have had better match-ups.

To be fair, it was Chicos that made the claim in the first place.

[Pakuni]

Those ESPN games were down because the match-ups were just not as good as in 2015. While, ABC ratings have been up, since luck of the draw have had better match-ups.

Huh ... so you're saying matchups matter.