Report - published August 26, 2015

Cable Sports Nets Are Alive and Kicking

Cable Sports Nets Are Alive and Kicking

Key insights from this report:

  1. As one might have guessed, ESPN is the most-watched cable sports network of 2015 to-date. After ESPN, it gets complicated. NBC Sports Network is the year's second-most-watched cable sports network in primetime. NBCSN leads rival Fox Sports 1 by around 70,000 total viewers. ESPN2 is third in total primetime viewers this year (just ahead of FS1). Despite the fact that NFL has been in its offseason for much of the year to-date, NFL Network still leads MLB Network in average total primetime viewers. MLB Network edges an improved Univision Deportes in the total primetime viewer category. Golf Channel, NBA-TV, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, Fox Deportes, Fox Sports 2 and Bein Sport follow.
  2. The following networks are up in P 18-49 viewership this year to-date versus the same time interval in 2014: Fox Sports 2, Univision Deportes, Fox Sports 1, Bein Sport, MLB Network. The other nine are down YoY, with NBA-TV experiencing the most significant dropoff in the demo versus last year.
  3. ESPN and all three of its spinoffs are all down in total viewership this year to-date, while both Fox Sports nets, NBCSN and two of the three Spanish language cable sports nets are up. Univision Deportes and Bein Sport are up primarily due to coverage of the Copa Oro 2015 (Gold Cup).

Today’s report looks at cable sports network performance in 2015 and in years past.

Sister publication Multichannel News will be running a cable sports television-themed special in their forthcoming Monday issue, and Ratings Intelligence has decided to follow suit with a report of its own.

Let’s see which cable sports networks seem to be on a hot streak, and which ones are mired in a slump.

Cable Sports Network Primetime Viewing Data in 2015 (Live+SD)

As one might have guessed, ESPN is the most-watched cable sports network of 2015 to-date. After ESPN, it gets a bit more complicated.

NBC Sports Network is the year’s second-most-watched cable sports network in primetime, averaging 419,000 total viewers during the daypart in 2015. The network leads rival Fox Sports 1 in the this category (350,000).

ESPN2 is third (just ahead of FS1) in average total primetime viewers with 373,000.

Despite the fact that NFL has been in its offseason for much of the year to-date, NFL Network still leads MLB Network in average total primetime viewers: 171,000 to 161,000.

MLB Network edges an improving Univision Deportes in the total primetime viewer category.

Golf Channel, NBA-TV, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, Fox Deportes, Fox Sports 2 and Bein Sport follow in that order.

Next, a look at each network’s primetime performance in the demos this year to-date. Sort by desired category by clicking on a column header:

Dates Daypart Viewing Source P18-49 Live+SD Rtg% P25-54 Live+SD Rtg% P25-54 Live+SD Proj (000) P2+ Live+SD Proj (000)
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime BEIN SPORT 0.01 0.01 13 23
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime ESPN 0.56 0.60 717 1654
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime ESPN2 0.11 0.12 144 373
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime ESPNEWS 0.04 0.04 48 95
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime ESPNU 0.03 0.03 37 93
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime FOX DEPORTES 0.03 0.03 37 61
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime FOX SPORTS 1 0.12 0.14 162 350
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime FOX SPORTS 2 0.02 0.02 19 41
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime GOLF CHANNEL 0.03 0.04 45 134
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime MLB NETWORK 0.05 0.05 62 161
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime NBA-TV 0.04 0.04 48 107
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime NBC SPORTS NETWORK 0.14 0.16 188 419
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime NFL NETWORK 0.07 0.07 89 171
12/29/2014 – 08/24/2015 Cable Prime UNIVISION DEPORTES 0.08 0.08 97 157

NBCSN remains in second behind ESPN during primetime. Even though ESPN2 is third in total viewers this year, Fox Sports 1 moves ahead in the 18-49 and 25-54 demos.

Perhaps the most significant leap here is made by Univision Deportes. The Spanish language cabler sits behind NFL Network and MLB Network in total viewers, but moves past the duo in terms of average 18-49 and 25-54 primetime viewership.

A younger-skewing NBA-TV ranks higher in the demos than it does in total viewers, while an older-skewing Golf Channel tumbles in the P 18-49 and 25-54 demographic rankings.

FS 2 and Bein Sport bring up the rear once again.

Next, a look at sports cable network primetime impressions: Jan – August 2014 versus 2015 TD:


The following networks are up in P 18-49 primetime viewership this year to-date versus the same time interval in 2014:

  • Fox Sports 2 (+82%)
  • Univision Deportes (+45%)
  • Fox Sports 1 (+45%)
  • Bein Sport (+43%)
  • MLB Network (+12%).

The other nine are down year-over-year, with NBA-TV experiencing the most significant dropoff in demo viewership in primetime (-25%).

Next, a look at average total viewers in primetime:

Fox Sports 2 (+95%) and Univision Deportes (+48%) lead the charge in average total primetime viewers. Fellow Spanish language cabler Bein Sport is +44% YoY. Fox Sports 1 is +38%. NBCSN is +11%. MLB Network is +8%.

The other eight are down in average total primetime viewership, year-over-year: Golf Channel (-2%), ESPNEWS (-7%), ESPN (-7%), ESPNU (-10%), Fox Deportes (-10%), NFL Network (-14%), ESPN2 (-16%), and NBA-TV (-16%).

It’s important to note that ESPN and all three of its spinoffs are all down in total viewership this year to-date, while both Fox Sports cable nets, NBCSN and two of the three Spanish language cable sports nets are up.

“The Big Five” Primetime Performance by Quarter: (Live+SD Data)

Here’s a look at how the top cable sports networks are performing on a quarter-to-quarter basis.

What’s up over at ESPN and ESPN2? Anchored by its Monday Night Football coverage, Q4 is traditionally ESPN’s strongest quarter of the year. Q4 2014 was no exception.

Unfortunately for The Worldwide Leader in Sports, primetime viewership has dropped off on a quarter-to-quarter basis here in 2015. Even though Q1 2015 was up from Q1 2014 (+4%), Q2 2015 was -11% from Q2 2014, and Q3 2015 to-date is currently down (-45%) from Q3 2014. The network isn’t even averaging 1 million total primetime viewers so far this quarter, a rarity for the network.


ESPN2 primetime viewership increased on a quarter-to-quarter basis in 2014. The opposite has been the case in 2015 to-date. Q2 2015 was -21% in average total primetime viewers versus Q1, and Q3 is currently -18% from Q2.

If we analyze total viewership on a YoY basis, ESPN2 was +10% in Q1 ’15 versus Q1 ’14, but -22% in Q2 ’15 versus Q2 ’14. The current quarter is -45%  from Q3 2014.

Fox Sports 1 vs. NBCSN: Who Ya Got?

These are two sports cablers which have been fighting for second place behind the ESPN juggernaut in recent years. Here’s a look at total primetime viewership for each on a quarter-to-quarter basis:

With the exception of the Q2 (2014 & 2015), FS1 has defeated NBCSN in Q1 2014, Q3 2014, Q4 2014, Q1 2015. FS1 is edging NBCSN in Q3 2015 TD.

Is this also the case when it comes to primetime viewership in the P 25-54 demo?

Yes. FS1 defeated NBCSN in Q1 2014, Q3 2014 and Q4 2014. It also beat NBCSN in Q1 2015, and is currently leading in the demo this quarter to-date.

Year-Over Year:

P2+

NBCSN was +11% in total primetime viewers in Q1 2015 vs. Q1 2014, but -7% YoY. A lack of Winter Olympics coverage this year has likely caused this year-to-date decline.

Perhaps most impressive, though, is that NBCSN is +164% in total primetime viewers this quarter to-date (340,000) versus Q3 of 2014 (129,000). Can the network keep up this pace?

Unlike NBCSN, FS1 was -7% in Q1 primetime viewership this year versus Q1 of last, but +85% in Q2 2015 versus Q2 2014, and +53% this quarter to-date versus Q3 2014.

P 25-54:

When it comes to primetime viewership in the 25-54 demo, the trends aren’t too different than those found in average total viewership. NBCSN was +2.1% in Q1 2015 versus Q1 2014. The network was -14% in Q2 this year. That being said, the network is currently +110% in the demo this summer versus Q3 of 2014.

FS1 was -6.5% in Q1 2015 versus Q1 2014, but +81.3% Q2 2015 versus Q2 2014, and +62% this quarter to-date versus Q3 2014.

In sum, FS1 has been the more consistent network in primetime this year to-date, but NBCSN has been lifted by its massive 2nd quarter (NHL playoff hockey) to earn the slight overall lead this year in 2015 to-date.

“The Big Five” By Month

Dates ESPN P18-49 Proj (000) ESPN2 P 18-49 Proj (000) Fox Sports 1 P 18-49 Proj (000) NBCSN P 18-49 Proj (000) Univision Deportes P 18-49 Proj (000) ESPN P2+ Proj (000) ESPN2 P2+ Proj (000) Fox Sports 1 P2+ Proj (000) NBCSN P2+ Proj (000) Univision Deportes P2+ Proj (000)
JANUARY-2015 1795 160 110 102 55 4326 460 212 215 88
FEBRUARY-2015 600 150 157 93 59 1327 474 390 207 96
MARCH-2015 523 142 101 109 86 1174 412 213 228 134
APRIL-2015 565 169 148 194 125 1287 406 360 386 199
MAY-2015 1014 127 125 524 74 2156 311 356 1109 126
JUNE-2015 406 126 279 164 30 1032 353 610 408 52
JULY-2015 342 95 194 93 279 869 252 419 368 454
AUGUST-2015 TD 427 111 120 79 77 1080 323 277 314 122

After a monster January thanks to the BCS National Championship and NFL-related coverage, ESPN and ESPN2 predictably declined in February and March. ESPN moved up in May thanks to the NBA playoffs, while ESPN2 continued to decline until this month.

FS1 was a bit back-and-forth at the start of the year before hitting its stride this summer with significant assistance from Women’s World Cup action. Prime viewership has declined for the network since.

NBCSN experienced an impressive first half of 2015 from a total viewer standpoint, culminating in a massive May thanks to NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage. Primetime viewership declined this summer.

Univision Deportes has experienced perhaps the most impressive year of the big five, including a rare second place finish in July, thanks to 2015 Gold Cup action.

Lastly, a look at Univision Deportes primetime performance by quarter:

Univision Deportes is in the midst of its most-watched quarter since Nielsen started reporting ratings for the network in October of 2013. The network launched in April 2012. Ironically Q3 of 2014 is the network’s least-watched quarter to-date when it averaged 90,000 total viewers during primetime.

The 282,000 figure the network is averaging this quarter during primetime represents a 213% improvement from Q3 of 2014.

The network’s primetime viewership has grown each quarter since Q4 of 2014.

The network is also achieving highs in 18-49 viewership. The 174,000 viewers in this demo represents a 195% improvement from the 59,000 it averaged in the daypart in Q3, 2014.

Prior to the current quarter, 2Q of 2014 had been the network’s most-watched quarter in primetime since Nielsen measurement started.

 

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Other reports on the key networks in this report: ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports 1, NBC Sports Network, Univision Deportes

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