MLS is Back! The league returned last week averaging 300,875 viewers on English-language ESPN, FOX and FOX Sports 1 in the 8PM ET and 10:30PM ET start times, down about 10% from the leagues average English-language audience in the first two weeks of the season back in March. Over on Spanish-language TUDN, the opening matches have averaged 53,200 viewers. ESPN averaged 337,500 viewers for their first four late MLS is Back broadcasts, down from about 391,000 in the network’s first three MLS broadcasts of 2020, but up nearly 80,000 average viewers from the network’s average in 2019. The league’s first three post-COVID hiatus broadcasts on FS1 are drawing very similar audiences to that network’s average in 2019, averaging around 157,000 viewers.

Univision’s coverage of the Copa por Mexico tournament continued this week as the group stage ended, with viewership peaking on Saturday for Club América’s match against Cruz Azul. A total of 726,000 viewers tuned in, making the friendly the third most-watched soccer match on American television last week. Univision’s coverage of 11 of the tournaments 12 matches averaged 307,182 viewers.

The Premier League on NBC drew its second-largest audience since returning last month on Saturday, drawing 945,000 viewers for Sheffield United’s 3-0 victory over Chelsea. This brings NBC’s average for the 2019-2020 Premier League season up to 831,379 viewers, running about even with the league’s average audience in the 2018-2019 season.

Rank Date Competition Teams Network Total
1 7/11 Premier League Sheffield United / Chelsea NBC: 945000 / Universo: 52000 997,000
2 7/12 Premier League Spurs / Arsenal NBCSN: 668000 / Telemundo: 197000 865,000
3 7/11 Copa por Mexico Club América / Cruz Azul Univision: 726000 726,000
4 7/11 MLS is Back New York Red Bulls / Atlanta United FOX: 587000 / TUDN: 52000 639,000
5 7/11 Premier League Liverpool / Burnley NBCSN: 555000 / Universo: 42000 597,000
6 7/11 Copa por Mexico Chivas / Mazatlan Univision: 493000 493,000
7 7/8 MLS is Back Orlando City SC / Inter Miami ESPN: 464000 / ESPN Deportes: 28000 492,000
8 7/12 Premier League Bournemouth / Leicester City NBCSN: 428000 428,000
9 7/11 Premier League Brighton / Manchester City NBCSN: 318000 / Universo: 102000 420,000
10 7/9 Premier League Aston Villa / Manchester United NBCSN: 367000 / Universo: 25000 392,000
11 7/13 Premier League Manchester United / Southampton NBCSN: 350000 / Universo: 20000 370,000
12 7/8 Premier League Liverpool / Brighton NBCSN: 312000 / Universo: 24000 336,000
13 7/12 MLS is Back Sporting Kansas City / Minnesota United ESPN: 333000 333,000
14 7/10 MLS is Back Seattle Sounders / San Jose Earthquakes ESPN: 319000 319,000
15 7/8 Copa por Mexico Chivas / Tigres TUDN: 311000 311,000
16 7/12 Premier League Aston Villa / Crystal Palace NBCSN: 278000 278,000
17 7/9 Premier League Bournemouth / Spurs NBCSN: 276000 276,000
18 7/13 MLS is Back Los Angeles Galaxy / Portland Timbers FS1: 202000 / TUDN: 71000 273,000
19 7/8 Premier League Newcastle / Manchester City NBCSN: 215000 / Universo: 20000 235,000
20 7/12 MLS is Back Colorado Rapids / Real Salt Lake ESPN: 234000 234,000
21 7/13 MLS is Back Houston Dynamo / Los Angeles FC FS1: 164000 / TUDN: 60000 224,000
22 7/11 Premier League Norwich City / West Ham NBCSN: 179000 179,000
23 7/12 Copa por Mexico Pumas / Toluca TUDN: 163000 163,000
24 7/9 MLS is Back New York City FC / Philadelphia Union ESPN: 159000 159,000
25 7/12 Copa por Mexico Atlas / Tigres TUDN: 154000 154,000
26 7/8 Copa por Mexico Cruz Azul / Toluca TUDN: 151000 151,000
27 7/11 MLS is Back FC Cincinnati / Columbus Crew SC FS1: 104000 / TUDN: 32000 136,000
28 7/12 Premier League Wolves / Everton NBCSN: 127000 127,000
29 7/12 Serie A Genoa / SPAL ESPN: 111000 111,000
30 7/9 MLS is Back Montreal Impact / New England Revolution TUDN: 51000 51,000
31 7/8 La Liga Barcelona / Espanyol beIN SPORTS: 40000 40,000

HT ShowBuzz Daily