Premier League Finale Breaks US Viewership Records

 Premier League Finale Breaks US Viewership Records

Thiago Alcantara of Liverpool signing autographs ayt the end of the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on May 19, 2024 in Liverpool, England(Image-Getty)

Record-Breaking Viewership for Premier League's Final Day in the US

The popularity of the Premier League soared to unprecedented heights in the United States during the 2023/24 season, thanks to NBC Sports' extensive and record-breaking coverage.

The excitement of the season, particularly the title race that extended to the final day, captivated American audiences. Last weekend's "Championship Sunday," which featured all 10 matches being played simultaneously, became the most-watched season finale in US history. The event achieved a "Total Audience Delivery" (TAD) of 2.9 million viewers across NBC's streaming service Peacock and NBCUniversal's network channels.

NBC Sports reported an average TAD of 546,000 viewers per TV match window for the season, marking a four percent increase from the previous season and surpassing the previous high of 541,000 set in the 2015/16 season.

 Record-Breaking Matches

The 2023/24 season saw six of the seven most-watched Premier League matches in US history. Notably, the 0-0 draw between title contenders Manchester City and Arsenal in March was the first English language-only fixture to exceed 2 million viewers, with a TAD of 2.12 million.

Peacock, in its fourth full season of streaming live Premier League matches, also set records. The platform drew 1.15 million viewers for the Liverpool vs. Arsenal match on March 5, and surpassed the million-mark again with 1.1 million viewers for the Manchester derby. Throughout the season, eight Peacock exclusive matches averaged at least 800,000 viewers, a fourfold increase from the previous season.

 Social Media and Engagement

The Premier League's growing popularity in the US extended to social media, where fans, including prominent figures like Greek-Nigerian basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo and country singer Chase Rice, engaged in record numbers. NBC Sports Soccer's social media accounts across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram saw video views more than double from the previous year, with a 122 percent increase. Overall engagement on these platforms rose by 79 percent.

NBC Sports' YouTube channel also experienced significant growth, finishing the season with over 200 million views and 1.4 billion minutes watched for the second consecutive Premier League season.

 Fan Festivals and Live Events

The Premier League Mornings Live fan festival in Nashville on April 6-7 set a new attendance record, drawing over 15,500 supporters. Fans joined Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah, WWE's Sheamus Farrelly, and Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer to celebrate the sport. 

Nashville's event was the ninth Premier League Mornings Live held in the US, following successful festivals in cities like Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Austin, Miami Beach, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Orlando. To date, nearly 90,000 fans have attended these events.

 Conclusion

The 2023/24 Premier League season's record-breaking viewership and engagement across various platforms in the United States highlight the growing enthusiasm for the sport. NBC Sports' comprehensive coverage and innovative fan engagement strategies have significantly contributed to the Premier League's increasing popularity, setting new standards for sports broadcasting in the US.