Young US viewers drive Premier League audience growth
Nielsen Sports data cited by Al Jazeera shows viewership among Americans aged 18–34 is up 20 per cent so far this season.
The English Premier League’s US audience among 18–34-year-olds has risen 20 per cent so far this season, according to Nielsen Sports data reported by Al Jazeera. The figures point to growing interest among younger viewers, while the report does not specify the comparison period or Nielsen Sports’ methodology.
US broadcasters NBC and USA Network averaged about 500,000 viewers per match, a 3 per cent increase. The most-watched US match so far was Tottenham Hotspur’s 2–0 defeat by Newcastle United on 29 August, which drew just over one million viewers.
Nielsen Sports attributed some of the growth to the World Cup, which the US co-hosted this year. Its global general manager, Jon Stainer, described the tournament as a catalyst for the Premier League’s wider US reach. The figures do not establish that the World Cup caused the increase.
The report also said US interest in Major League Soccer rose 23 per cent among 16–34-year-olds. Separately, Nielsen Fan Insights put US interest in the World Cup at a peak of 87 million fans in July, with women making up 44 per cent of that group.
