Really nice article on the current ratings. On one side the viewership data is dramatically sinking, but there are multiple factors - the NCAA tourney being a huge reason at the moment - and there's reason for hope. I can't post the entire article but here are some highlights. I highly recommend spending the $1 a month for The Athletic. Excellent content.
XFL midseason TV report card: Ratings have dropped, but is a rebound ahead?
By Bill Shea
Mar 22, 2023
...The second week of the 2023 season began the steep decline, which was made even worse this past weekend thanks to the two NCAA basketball tournaments and the World Baseball Classic, both airing on multiple channels.
Here’s a breakdown of the XFL’s first five weeks.
XFL midseason TV viewership
The XFL’s network partner says the March ratings dip was not a surprise, since everyone knows that the eyeball-hogging basketball tournaments are played every year (except during pandemics).
“This weekend the viewership pattern was not unexpected as the XFL faced tough direct competition due to the start of March Madness,” said Tim Reed, ESPN’s vice president of programming and acquisitions, in a statement to The Athletic.
“However, the action-packed and innovative games are clearly resonating — the rest of the season has delivered within our expectations and we’re pleased with the interest we’re seeing across linear, streaming, digital and social platforms. We recently adjusted matchups and schedules working closely with the league to better serve fans, and we have our broadest distribution slated for the remainder of the regular season, including five games on ABC.”
...We don’t specifically know the league or network’s internal success metrics that ultimately fuel a thumbs up or down on the XFL’s future. Are the numbers enough to justify costs and ad rates? ESPN and Fox eventually may decide they’re better served with cheaper content in those timeslots, or the games may be doing what the network wants — and that’s ultimately what matters for such a property.
...The XFL has noted that TV ratings are not its only success measure. It said game attendance is more than 286,000 total through Week 5, including the 35,000-plus in St. Louis, and its digital and social media growth at the mid-point of the season includes 347 million views on its various platforms, more than 306,000 new social media followers, and almost 30,000 people signing up for the XFL’s emails.
XFL midseason TV report card: Ratings have dropped, but is a rebound ahead?
By Bill Shea
Mar 22, 2023
...The second week of the 2023 season began the steep decline, which was made even worse this past weekend thanks to the two NCAA basketball tournaments and the World Baseball Classic, both airing on multiple channels.
Here’s a breakdown of the XFL’s first five weeks.
XFL midseason TV viewership
| WEEK | VIEWERSHIP AVERAGE | NETWORKS |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 1.3 million | ABC, ESPN, FX, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ |
| Week 2 | 659,000 | ESPN, ESPN2, FX, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ |
| Week 3 | 572,000 | FX, ESPN, ESPN+ |
| Week 4 | 507,000 | ESPN2, FX, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ |
| Week 5 | 267,000 | ESPN, ESPN2, FX, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ |
The XFL’s network partner says the March ratings dip was not a surprise, since everyone knows that the eyeball-hogging basketball tournaments are played every year (except during pandemics).
“This weekend the viewership pattern was not unexpected as the XFL faced tough direct competition due to the start of March Madness,” said Tim Reed, ESPN’s vice president of programming and acquisitions, in a statement to The Athletic.
“However, the action-packed and innovative games are clearly resonating — the rest of the season has delivered within our expectations and we’re pleased with the interest we’re seeing across linear, streaming, digital and social platforms. We recently adjusted matchups and schedules working closely with the league to better serve fans, and we have our broadest distribution slated for the remainder of the regular season, including five games on ABC.”
...We don’t specifically know the league or network’s internal success metrics that ultimately fuel a thumbs up or down on the XFL’s future. Are the numbers enough to justify costs and ad rates? ESPN and Fox eventually may decide they’re better served with cheaper content in those timeslots, or the games may be doing what the network wants — and that’s ultimately what matters for such a property.
...The XFL has noted that TV ratings are not its only success measure. It said game attendance is more than 286,000 total through Week 5, including the 35,000-plus in St. Louis, and its digital and social media growth at the mid-point of the season includes 347 million views on its various platforms, more than 306,000 new social media followers, and almost 30,000 people signing up for the XFL’s emails.
