The first el Clasico of 2016 between Barcelona and Real Madrid was watched by 1.9 million viewers in the United States between the beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS en Español networks. Of the 1.9 million total, 695,000 watched it on beIN SPORTS (English-language) while the remaining 1,220,487 watched it on beIN SPORTS en Español (Spanish-language).
On beIN SPORTS en Español, the broadcast ranks as the number one soccer telecast year-to-date across all cable networks regardless of language, outperforming telecasts such as Univision Deportes’ Liga MX Super Clásico featuring Chivas versus Club América and the World Cup Qualifier match between México vs. Canada, as well as ESPN2’s World Cup Qualifier match with USA against Guatemala, and NBCSN’s English Premier League Chelsea vs. Arsenal match.
SEE MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo winner breaks Barcelona’s 39-game unbeaten run in el Clasico
The simulcast of el Clásico on beIN SPORTS ranks as the fifth highest rated soccer telecast among competitors such as NBCSN, ESPN2 and FOX Sports, and sits in the top 15 among all soccer matches year to date across all languages.
In comparison to el Clasico from November 2015, the April 2nd telecast of el Clásico averaged 1,915,487 total viewers, which was a 2.2% increase in viewership since the previous match on November 21st, 2015, which averaged 1,874,582 total viewers across both networks.
SEE MORE: Latest news regarding soccer TV ratings in the United States
While the number was an increase compared to last November, the most recent el Clasico didn’t exceed the number of viewers than the spring 2015 match. That one had 2.12 million viewers. The number combined the 1.353 million who watched the game live on beIN SPORTS en Espańol and the 767,000 who watched the game on the English-language broadcast on beIN SPORTS.
As well as the impressive TV numbers, the broadcast of FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid was the number one most socially engaged audience across all sporting events of the day based on tweets per unique author outperforming Villanova vs. Oklahoma and North Carolina vs. Syracuse March Madness matches on TBS.
