While it’s not scientific nor is it an apples to apples comparison, the average number of viewers who watched the Chelsea-Manchester City game last weekend on NBC was 316% greater than the number of people who watched the same two teams play in 2010.
Last Saturday, 1.34 million people watched Chelsea-Manchester City on NBC, while 324,000 watched the two teams in 2010 when the game was shown live on ESPN2.
By any measure, the 316% increase in audience size for that one game on US television (albeit on the over-the-air NBC compared to cable/satellite centric ESPN2) is staggering.
Not only was the 1.34 million number the third most-watched Premier League game in US TV history, but the Premier League also prospered from several promos and segments during the Super Bowl game on Sunday. We’re hearing that the exposure was worth approximately $8-10 million in free “advertising” for the Premier League coverage.
