Tag: sports

Pickled -comedy sports special 11/17/22 on CBS

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

There are two press releases here

CBS ANNOUNCES 16 CELEBRITIES COMPETING ON “PICKLED,” A NEW TWO-HOUR SPORTS COMEDY SPECIAL FEATURING ACTION-PACKED PICKLEBALL, AMERICA’S HOTTEST AND FASTEST-GROWING SPORT, TO AIR NOV. 17 ON CBS

CBS ANNOUNCES 16 CELEBRITIES COMPETING ON “PICKLED,” A NEW TWO-HOUR SPORTS COMEDY SPECIAL FEATURING ACTION-PACKED PICKLEBALL, AMERICA’S HOTTEST AND FASTEST-GROWING SPORT, TO AIR NOV. 17 ON CBS

Hosted by Emmy Award-Winner Stephen Colbert of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” the All-Star Lineup of Players Includes Jimmie Allen, Murray Bartlett, Dierks Bentley, Jaime Camil, Will Ferrell, Max Greenfield, Luis Guzman, Phil Keoghan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tig Notaro, June Diane Raphael, Kelly Rowland, Paul Scheer, Aisha Tyler and Emma Watson

National Anthem Performed as a Duet by Singer-Songwriter Kenny Loggins and Stephen Colbert

Produced by Spartina, Funny Or Die and CBS Studios, the Special was Played in Support of the Non-Profit Comic Relief US

CBS announced today the 16 celebrities competing in the new, two-hour sports comedy special PICKLED. The pickleball tournament, produced by Stephen Colbert’s Spartina, Funny Or Die and CBS Studios, will air Thursday, Nov. 17 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*. Emmy Award-winner Stephen Colbert of THE LATE SHOW hosts this hilarious and cutthroat pickleball competition, featuring teams playing against each other to benefit the non-profit Comic Relief US and ultimately win the coveted totem of excellence: the Colbert Cup!

“If you love pickleball and you love celebrities and you love helping people, you’re going to love watching these celebrities help people by playing pickleball,” said host Stephen Colbert.

“Funny Or Die is so proud to produce PICKLED. Along with Stephen Colbert, CBS and our celebrity players, we all came together for two great causes: to support Comic Relief US and to add more articles about Pickleball to everyone’s newsfeed,” said Mike Farah, CEO of Funny Or Die.

“Comic Relief US is thrilled to be a part of this special entertainment event to support the millions of children and families living in poverty. Thank you to the amazing Stephen Colbert, Spartina, CBS, Funny Or Die and all of our celebrity friends who will now get to play Pickleball for a good cause!” said Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US.

The 16 celebrities who will team up and battle it out on the PICKLED court are: Jimmie Allen, Murray Bartlett, Dierks Bentley, Jaime Camil, Will Ferrell, Max Greenfield, Luis Guzman, Phil Keoghan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tig Notaro, June Diane Raphael, Kelly Rowland, Paul Scheer, Aisha Tyler and Emma Watson.

All-star announcers, including Cari Champion, John Michael Higgins and Bill Raftery, add color and commentary to the thrilling matches. After the national anthem is performed as a duet by singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins and Stephen Colbert, the 16 celebrities take to the court to battle for the honor of being named the PICKLED champions.

Stephen Colbert’s Spartina, Funny Or Die and CBS are joining forces with Comic Relief to re-ignite the magic of creating change through comedy with PICKLED. Calls to action during the broadcast will raise funds to support Comic Relief’s safety programs, which address the life-altering impact of homelessness, rootlessness and lack of safety often experienced by children and families living in poverty. In addition to funds raised from the broadcast event and at ComicRelief.org/pickled, Comic Relief will also be engaging pickleball leagues, lovers and communities across the U.S. to get in on the fun to help children and families experiencing homelessness.

PICKLED partnered with two brands as exclusive sponsors of the event.

Claussen Pickles, the Original Cold Crunch, brought viewers a fun, comedic take on the traditional mid-game recap – “The Claussen Crunch Time-Halftime Show.” The host and analysts gathered in the branded space with the competitors to review first-half highlights and laugh about the lighter moments in the matches. Of course, there were pickles provided by the brand, for everyone including the fans in attendance to enjoy.

OOFOS Active Recovery footwear presented the “OOFOS Recovery Lounge.” After each competitive pickleball match, players could cool off in the courtside branded tent to begin active recovery while conducting their post-match interviews. The premium lounge included a misting system, comfortable chairs and displays featuring the latest OOFOS styles.

PICKLED is produced by Funny Or Die in association with Spartina and CBS Studios. Executive producers are showrunner K.P. Anderson, Funny Or Die’s Mike Farah, Joe Farrell and Henry R. Muñoz III, and Spartina’s Stephen Colbert, Carrie Byalick, Evelyn McGee Colbert and Tom Purcell.

About Spartina

Founded by Stephen Colbert, Spartina is a production company with a first-look deal at CBS Studios. Spartina has produced several projects including Comedy Central’s “Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News” and “Hell of a Week with Charlamagne Tha God,” and Hulu’s “Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself.” Spartina is on a mission to make the world a little bit better through content that brings people joy.

About Funny Or Die (FOD)

Funny Or Die (FOD) is a renowned entertainment brand and independent comedy studio that creates premium content in TV, movies, digital, and more. Recent credits include the pop-culture film phenomenon “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” starring Daniel Radcliffe (Roku), as well as the critically acclaimed mockumentary series PLAYERS on Paramount +. A company with a uniquely high profile across multiple media, FOD has won six Emmy Awards and dozens of Emmy nominations, two Clios, a Peabody, and a Cannes Golden Lion for everything from iconic TV shows like “Billy on the Street” (TBS) and “American Vandal” (Netflix) to groundbreaking multiplatform IP like Zach Galifianakis’ “Between Two Ferns” and Hank Azaria’s “Brockmire,” all while continuing to reach a global audience of more than 40 million people across our social platforms.In 2021, FOD was acquired by the designer and activist Henry R. Muñoz III, and we rededicated ourselves to the mission of our original founders, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay – to not only make people laugh, but also inspire critical thinking, inclusion, and social change.

About CBS Studios

CBS Studios is one of the industry’s leading suppliers of programming with more than 70 series currently in production across broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, genre-defining franchises including the ever-growing “Star Trek” universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, and an extensive library of iconic intellectual property.

About Comic Relief

Comic Relief US harnesses the power of entertainment to drive positive change to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty, in the United States and around the world. Since 2015, The nonprofit has raised over $380 million by mobilizing donors of all ages to engage with causes through powerful content-driven campaigns and new digital platforms. Donations are invested in grantee partners and social impact programs that ensure children are safe, healthy, educated and empowered and that address the root causes of poverty in communities most impacted. Comic Relief US, also known as Comic Relief, Inc., is a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. For more information about Comic Relief US and its impact, visit www.comicrelief.org. Follow @ComicReliefUS on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

*Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service as well as on demand. Essential-tier subscribers will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.

CBS SOCIAL:

Pickled Hashtag: #Pickled

CBS Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbs

CBS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbstv

CBS TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cbs

CBS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CBS/

CBS PR Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBSTweet

RATING: To Be Announced

SECOND PRESS RELEASE:

CBS ANNOUNCES EIGHT CELEBRITY TEAMS COMPETING ON “PICKLED,” INCLUDING THE VOLLEY RANCHERS, PARTY ‘TIL YOU CUKE, WHEN HARRY NET RALLY, AND THE PADDLE SNAKES

WHAT’S THE BIG DILL?

The Two-Hour Sports Comedy Special Airing Nov. 17 on CBS Is Hosted by Emmy Award-Winner Stephen Colbert of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”

CBS announced today the eight celebrity teams competing in the new two-hour sports comedy special PICKLED. The pickleball tournament, produced by Stephen Colbert’s Spartina, Funny Or Die and CBS Studios, will air Thursday, Nov. 17 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*. Emmy Award-winner Stephen Colbert of THE LATE SHOW hosts this cutthroat pickleball competition.

Below, meet the acclaimed teams playing to benefit the non-profit Comic Relief US and ultimately win the coveted totem of excellence: The Colbert Cup!

TEAM: DINK FLOYD

CELEBRITIES: Kelly Rowland and Murray Bartlett

TEAM: PARTY ‘TIL YOU CUKE

CELEBRITIES: Tig Notaro and “Mystery Player”

TEAM: THE PADDLE SNAKES

CELEBRITIES: June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer

TEAM: TAKE THIS LOB AND SHOVE IT

CELEBRITIES: Jaime Camil and Aisha Tyler

TEAM: THE VOLLEY RANCHERS

CELEBRITIES: Sugar Ray Leonard and Emma Watson

TEAM: DANIEL DAE LUIS

CELEBRITIES: Luis Guzmán and Daniel Dae Kim

TEAM: DILL-I-AM

CELEBRITIES: Jimmie Allen and Max Greenfield

TEAM: WHEN HARRY NET RALLY

CELEBRITIES: Dierks Bentley and Phil Keoghan

All-star announcers, including Cari Champion, John Michael Higgins and Bill Raftery, add color and commentary to the thrilling matches. After the national anthem is performed as a duet by singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins and Stephen Colbert, the eight celebrity teams take to the court to battle for the honor of being named the PICKLED champions.

Stephen Colbert’s Spartina, Funny Or Die and CBS are joining forces with Comic Relief to re-ignite the magic of creating change through comedy with PICKLED. Calls to action during the broadcast will raise funds to support Comic Relief’s safety programs, which address the life-altering impact of homelessness, rootlessness and lack of safety often experienced by children and families living in poverty.In addition to funds raised from the broadcast event and at ComicRelief.org/pickled, Comic Relief will also be engaging pickleball leagues, lovers and communities across the U.S. to get in on the fun to help children and families experiencing homelessness.

PICKLED partnered with two brands as exclusive sponsors of the event.

Claussen Pickles, the Original Cold Crunch, brought viewers a fun, comedic take on the traditional mid-game recap – “The Claussen Crunch Time-Halftime Show.” The host and analysts gathered in the branded space with the competitors to review first-half highlights and laugh about the lighter moments in the matches. Of course, there were pickles provided by the brand, for everyone including the fans in attendance to enjoy.

OOFOS Active Recovery footwear presented the “OOFOS Recovery Lounge.” After each competitive pickleball match, players could cool off in the courtside branded tent to begin active recovery while conducting their post-match interviews. The premium lounge included a misting system, comfortable chairs and displays featuring the latest OOFOS styles.

PICKLED is produced by Funny Or Die in association with Spartina and CBS Studios. Executive producers are showrunner K.P. Anderson, Funny Or Die’s Mike Farah, Joe Farrell and Henry R. Muñoz III, and Spartina’s Stephen Colbert, Carrie Byalick, Evelyn McGee Colbert and Tom Purcell.

About Spartina

Founded by Stephen Colbert, Spartina is a production company with a first-look deal at CBS Studios. Spartina has produced several projects including Comedy Central’s “Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News” and “Hell of a Week with Charlamagne Tha God,” and Hulu’s “Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself.” Spartina is on a mission to make the world a little bit better through content that brings people joy.

About Funny Or Die (FOD)

Funny Or Die (FOD) is a renowned entertainment brand and independent comedy studio that creates premium content in TV, movies, digital, and more. Recent credits include the pop-culture film phenomenon “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” starring Daniel Radcliffe (Roku), as well as the critically acclaimed mockumentary series PLAYERS on Paramount+. A company with a uniquely high profile across multiple media, FOD has won six Emmy Awards and dozens of Emmy nominations, two Clios, a Peabody, and a Cannes Golden Lion for everything from iconic TV shows like “Billy on the Street” (TBS) and “American Vandal” (Netflix) to groundbreaking multiplatform IP like Zach Galifianakis’ “Between Two Ferns” and Hank Azaria’s “Brockmire,” all while continuing to reach a global audience of more than 40 million people across our social platforms.In 2021, FOD was acquired by the designer and activist Henry R. Muñoz III, and we rededicated ourselves to the mission of our original founders, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay – to not only make people laugh, but also inspire critical thinking, inclusion, and social change.

About CBS Studios

CBS Studios is one of the industry’s leading suppliers of programming with more than 70 series currently in production across broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, genre-defining franchises including the ever-growing “Star Trek” universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, and an extensive library of iconic intellectual property.

About Comic Relief

Comic Relief US harnesses the power of entertainment to drive positive change to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty, in the United States and around the world. Since 2015, The nonprofit has raised over $380 million by mobilizing donors of all ages to engage with causes through powerful content-driven campaigns and new digital platforms. Donations are invested in grantee partners and social impact programs that ensure children are safe, healthy, educated and empowered and that address the root causes of poverty in communities most impacted. Comic Relief US, also known as Comic Relief, Inc., is a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. For more information about Comic Relief US and its impact, visit www.comicrelief.org. Follow @ComicReliefUS on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

*Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service as well as on demand. Essential-tier subscribers will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.

CBS SOCIAL:

Pickled Hashtag: #Pickled

CBS Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbs

CBS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbstv

CBS TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cbs

CBS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CBS/

CBS PR Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBSTweet

RATING: To Be Announced

“Monday Night Football” Delivers Another Record-Shattering Viewership

Posted on by Danielle Langer





“Monday Night Football” Delivers Another Record-Shattering Viewership, as More Than 19.3 Million Viewers Watch Cowboys-Giants
The audience of more than 19.3 million viewers bested ESPN’s previous “MNF” Week 3 audience high by 11% (17.5 million viewers for Green Bay at Chicago, Sept. 27, 2010).
[via press release from ESPN]
“Monday Night Football” Delivers another Record-Shattering Viewership, as More than 19.3 Million Viewers Watch Cowboys-Giants

· Most-Watched MNF Week 3 Game in ESPN Era and Fourth Most-Watched Monday Game in ESPN Era

· Giants-Cowboys Up 29% Year-Over-Year from Week 3 Dallas Game in 2021

· Follows ESPN’s Record Breaking Week 1 Audience; 2022 Season Has Delivered Two of Four Most-Watched Monday Games in ESPN Era

· Every Week of 2022 Season: MNF Action has Peaked at More than 20 Million Viewers

ESPN’s Monday Night Football has shattered multiple records three weeks into the 2022 season and aired two of its four most-watched Monday games in its 17 year history airing the television franchise (more than 270 games).

Monday Night Football’s Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants presentation (September 26, 8:15 p.m.) generated 19,342,000 viewers (ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes), MNF’s best Week 3 audience in the ESPN era (2006 – present) and the fourth best Monday game in the same era. The audience of more than 19.3 million viewers bested ESPN’s previous MNF Week 3 audience high by 11% (17.5 million viewers for Green Bay at Chicago, Sept. 27, 2010). Year-over-year, the Cowboys-Giants audience is up 29% from Week 3 in 2021, which also featured the Cowboys, then hosting the Eagles (15 million viewers on ESPN and ESPN2).

Monday Night Football is Re-Writing the Record Books

The record-setting Monday Night Football Week 3 audience follows its own record-setting Week 1 audience, when 19.85 million viewers for Denver-Seattle drove MNF to its most-watched season opener in network history. That same game is third most-watched Monday game in ESPN’s MNF era.

Factoring in all regular season games of ESPN’s current age of NFL rights (2006 – present), MNF has delivered its fourth and fifth most-watched games of the current rights period this season, as one Saturday game also makes the Top 5.

Rank Date Game Viewership
1 Monday, Oct. 5, 2009 Green Bay at Minnesota 21,839,000
2 Monday, Nov. 30, 2009 New Orleans at New England 21,402,000
3 Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022 Dallas at Philadelphia 20,195,000
4 Monday, Sept. 12, 2022 Denver at Seattle 19,845,000
5 Monday, Sept. 26, 2022 Dallas at New York Giants 19,342,000

Surging With Over 20 Million Viewers

In Week 2, the first of its kind ‘two games, one night’ averaged nearly 21 million viewers during the two hours of overlapping action. As a result, Monday Night Football action has peaked with more than 20 million viewers in each of the first three weeks, the first time that feat has been accomplished in Weeks 1-3 during the ESPN era.

Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Adds to its Most-Watched Alternate Telecast List

In Week 3, Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli drew 1.4 million viewers (ESPN2 and ESPN+), further bolstering the show’s status as ESPN’s most-watched alternate telecast. Through the first two editions this season, the show is averaging 1.46 million viewers, up 15% from the show’s first two episodes last year (Weeks 1 and 2). MNF with Peyton and Eli now holds the ESPN record for the 11 most-watched alternate telecasts.

Additional highlights

· Monday Night Football was the most-watched primetime game in Week 3

· ABC and ESPN were the two most-watched telecasts of the night, winning the night among both broadcast and cable

Monday Night Football Week 4: NFC Championship Rematch – Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers

Monday Night Football will feature an NFC Championship rematch in Week 4, as the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers (October 3, 8 p.m.) face off from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters will have the call on ESPN with Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli returning to ESPN2.

Viewership reported by Nielsen includes streaming audience across ESPN/Disney and NFL digital properties.

-30-



Prime Video Scores Big with “Thursday Night Football”

Posted on by Danielle Langer





Prime Video Scores Big with “Thursday Night Football”
“TNF” averaged 15.3 million viewers (AMA) during its September 15 showdown between the AFC rival Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.
[via press release from Amazon]
Prime Video Scores Big with Thursday Night Football

Amazon averages 15.3 million viewers across all platforms for first exclusive TNF game

TNF draws 4.25 rating in Adults 18-34, the #1 rated program for the week in that demo and 18% higher than the average A18-34 NFL rating this season

A new era for streaming arrives, as Prime Video’s exclusive presentation of TNF delivered more viewers than any other program on broadcast or cable Thursday night

NEW YORK-September 22, 2022-Prime Video’s inaugural presentation of Thursday Night Football scored big last week; including all available data on every platform from Amazon’s first party measurement metrics** and Nielsen Media research, TNF averaged 15.3 million viewers (AMA) during its September 15 showdown between the AFC rival Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.

In Nielsen National TV Ratings alone, Thursday Night Football averaged an impressive 13.0 million total viewers, up +47% from last year’s comparable Week 2 TNF matchup, which aired solely on NFL Network (NYG vs. WSH, 8.84M, includes OTA). Thursday’s audience on Prime Video peaked from 10:45-10:59 p.m. with 14.6 million viewers as the Chiefs outdueled the Chargers, 27-24. Other Nielsen highlights include:

· TNF on Prime Video delivered an audience 7 years younger than the linear NFL audience through Week 2 of the 2022 season (46 vs. 53). The audience was 8 years younger than last year’s average TNF audience (54, tri-cast on Fox, NFL Network and Prime Video).

· TNF on Prime Video delivered a 4.25 rating in Adults 18-34, 18% higher than the average A18-34 rating for an NFL telecast this season. It was the #1 program of the week across broadcast and cable with A18-34 (9/12-9/18).

· TNF on Prime Video also rated higher than last year’s full-season TNF tri-cast average among A18-34 (+29%, 4.25 vs. 3.3) and A18-49 (+9%, 5.0 vs. 4.6).

· TNF on Prime Video was the most-watched program of the night across broadcast or cable, out-delivering the #2 program by +271% in total viewers (13.0M vs. 3.5M, Young Sheldon on CBS).

· According to Nielsen local market ratings, the local broadcasts in Los Angeles averaged 602,000 viewers, and 555,000 viewers in Kansas City.

**Amazon aggregates direct viewing data from the millions of devices and accounts watching in order to provide a clear and comprehensive understanding of viewership across Amazon’s channels. Amazon first party viewership metrics deliver insights that combine direct first-party data with Nielsen figures within a large-scale “broadcast” encoded event, as measured by their panel.

Amazon’s measurement combines 1st and 3rd party data to provide advertising customers, as well as the broader marketplace, with a more holistic picture of Thursday Night Football’s viewership. Amazon’s 2022 agreements with advertisers are guaranteed on Nielsen’s National TV Ratings, and will continue to be.

Nielsen’s audience data for Prime Video’s national TV rating is based on a panel sampling of devices where Prime Video is available in the U.S., including set-top boxes, connected TVs, web and mobile, as well as Twitch, local over-the-air stations, out-of-home viewing, and NFL+.



CBS Sports Network to Exclusively Air Live Coverage of 2022-23 European Women’s Soccer Matches

Posted on by Danielle Langer





In Partnership with ata football, CBS Sports Network to Exclusively Air Live, Linear English-Language Coverage of 2022-23 European Women’s Soccer Matches Across D1 Arkema (France), Frauen-Bundesliga (Germany), Serie A Femminile (Italy) Leagues
A picture containing text, clipartDescription automatically generated

Paris Saint-Germain Féminine vs. FC Fleury 91 Airs Sunday, Live on CBS Sports Network

Sept. 23, 2022 – CBS Sports and ata football, a women’s soccer company with a mission to build a global community and elevate the game, today announced details of an agreement for CBS Sports Network to televise English-language coverage of at least 15 matches during the 2022-23 season across three European women’s soccer leagues: D1 Arkema (France), Serie A Femminile TIM (Italy) and FLYERALARM Frauen-Bundesliga (Germany). Matches airing live will be televised exclusively on CBS Sports Network.

The first scheduled match of the agreement will air live on CBS Sports Network this Sunday, September 25, at 6:45 AM, ET, when Paris Saint-Germain Féminine takes on FC Fleury 91 in the D1 Arkema league.

Over the course of the season, matches will feature the top teams from each league, which collectively encompass 17 of the past 21 winners of the UEFA Women’s Champions League dating back to its inception in 2001.

European Women’s Soccer Airing on CBS Sports Network:

D1 Arkema (France): Defending league champions Olympique Lyon has claimed the title each year since 2007 aside from 2020-’21, when Paris Saint-Germain, one of the newest forces in European women’s soccer, won the league for the first time. CBS Sports Network will televise both regular season clashes between these two teams (December; May). U.S. Women’s National team stars Lindsey Horan (on loan) and Catarina Macario will be key to Lyon’s title defense this season.
Frauen-Bundesliga (Germany): Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg have traded league titles over the past 10 seasons, with Wolfsburg claiming seven to Bayern’s three. Both regular season matches will air on CBS Sports Network (October; March). Eintracht Frankfurt will be vying to improve upon its third-place finish in the league last season.
Serie A Femminile (Italy): Juventus will look to extend its streak of five consecutive league titles, while Roma hopes to knock Juventus from its perch after finishing runner-up last season.

Additional matches airing on CBS Sports Network and corresponding airtimes will be announced at a later date.

Through the agreement, CBS Sports adds to its extensive coverage of women’s soccer globally, including the National Women’s Soccer League, which airs on the CBS Television Network, CBS Sports Network and Paramount+, the Barclays Women’s Super League on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+, and the addition of D1 Arkema (France), Serie A Femminile TIM (Italy), and FLYERALARM Frauen-Bundesliga (Germany) on CBS Sports Network.

About ata football

ata football is home to over 170 live and on-demand women’s football matches from the top leagues in the world, exclusive highlights, premium content partnerships, instructional videos and virtual events with elite players. Users can subscribe to view live matches and gain unlimited content access at atafootball.com/members for $6.99/month or $4.99/month with an annual subscription. ata football’s mission is to unite, engage and inspire a global community for women’s football. Through its partnerships with premium broadcasters, grassroots and fan engagement ata has built a digital hub and marketing network to holistically promote and support the growth of women’s football. For more information, visit www.atafootball.com.



Disney Networks Averaged Nearly 21 Million Viewers

Posted on by Danielle Langer





Disney Networks Averaged Nearly 21 Million Viewers During “Monday Night Football’s” Two Hours of Overlapping Action
Fans watched nearly four billion minutes of “Monday Night Football” in Week 2 across the same Disney Networks, which is up from the 3.7 billion minutes watched for ESPN’s most recent “Monday Night Football” doubleheader in 2020.
[via press release from ESPN]
Disney Networks Averaged Nearly 21 Million Viewers during “Monday Night Football’s” Two Hours of Overlapping Action

· Audience During Overlapping Period was Greater than Record-Setting MNF Week 1 Viewership on Same Networks

· Audience Peaked at 22.2 Million Viewers During Overlapping Period

· More Than 3.9 Billion Minutes Watched Across Disney Networks Throughout the Night

· ABC and ESPN – Two Most-Viewed Networks of the Night

During Monday Night Football’s Week 2, Disney Networks averaged 20.6 million viewers (ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+) when Tennessee-Buffalo and Minnesota-Philadelphia were shown simultaneously, a two hour period (8:30 – 10:30 p.m. ET). The 20.6 million viewers bested the record-setting Monday Night Football Week 1 audience across the same five networks (19.85 million viewers from 8:14 – 11:18 p.m. on Sept.19) and peaked at 22.2 million viewers from 9:15 – 9:30 pm. The impressive combined viewership mounted despite the Buffalo Bills scoring 31 unanswered points on their way to a lopsided 41-7 victory, and the Eagles jumping out a 24-7 lead during the overlapping period.

Examining closer, fans watched nearly four billion minutes of Monday Night Football in Week 2 across the same Disney Networks, which is up from the 3.7 billion minutes watched for ESPN’s most recent Monday Night Football doubleheader in 2020 (Week 1 with kickoffs at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.). Additionally, the 3.9 billion minutes watched is up 56% from a standard, standalone Monday Night Football game (approximately 2.6 billion minutes on a weekly basis since 2006).

Individually, ABC and ESPN were the most-viewed networks of the night across all of television, and both games were the most-watched telecasts of the night. Minnesota-Philadelphia averaged 12.9 million viewers (ABC/ESPN+) and Tennessee-Buffalo averaged 7.9 million viewers (ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN Deportes).

Additional data will be available in the coming days, providing further insight to how viewers navigated the two games. This was the first time ESPN/Disney, in conjunction with the NFL, presented Monday Night Football with scheduled overlapping action.

ESPN’s Monday Night Football features its first of four consecutive divisional showdowns when the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants match up in Week 3 (Sept. 26, 8 p.m.). Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters will call the game on ESPN, ABC and ESPN+. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli returns on ESPN2.

Viewership reported by Nielsen includes streaming audience across ESPN/Disney and NFL digital properties.

-30-



CBS Sports Begins its Multiplatform Coverage of the Barclays Women’s Super League

Posted on by Danielle Langer





CBS Sports Begins its Multiplatform Coverage of the Barclays Women’s Super League across Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network this Weekend

Sept. 15, 2022 – CBS Sports begins its multiplatform coverage of the Barclays Women’s Super League this weekend across Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network. CBS Sports will present a total of 57 matches from England’s top-flight women’s league this season, with the majority of matches streaming live exclusively on Paramount+ and select matches airing exclusively on CBS Sports Network.

Action kicks off on Sunday, Sept. 18 with matches streaming live on Paramount+ when Aston Villa faces Manchester City followed by Liverpool against reigning league winners Chelsea. Among the marquee matches to open the season will be Arsenal vs. Tottenham on Saturday, Sept. 24, with the match set to break a league record with more than 40,000 tickets sold for the North London Derby at Emirates Stadium.

CBS Sports’ Attacking Third podcast, hosted by Sandra Herrera and Lisa Roman, will provide additional in-depth coverage of the league with preview and recap coverage for each match week and exclusive match highlights on its @AttackingThird social channels. CBS Sports will provide additional coverage across its digital platforms, including CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app and CBS Sports HQ, the 24/7 streaming sports news service.

Barclays Women’s Super League Schedule, Opening Two Weeks:

(All times ET)

Aston Villa vs. Manchester City

Sunday, September 18

7:30 AM

Paramount+

Liverpool vs. Chelsea

Sunday, September 18

12:00 PM

Paramount+

Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Saturday, September 24

6:30 AM

CBS Sports Network

Chelsea vs. Manchester City

Sunday, September 25

11:00 AM

Paramount+

Liverpool vs. Everton

Sunday, September 25

1:45 PM

Paramount+



ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” Nabs Nearly 20 Million Viewers

Posted on by Danielle Langer





ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” Nabs Nearly 20 Million Viewers in Record-Setting Season Opener
ESPN delivered its most-watched game since 2009 and its third best Monday game in the current era (2006 – present and 270+ games) with 19,845,000 viewers.
[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” Nabs Nearly 20 Million Viewers in Record-Setting Season Opener

· Most-Watched Monday Night Football Game Since 2009 and Third-Best in ESPN Era

· Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Up 86% from 2021 Season Debut

· Sunday NFL Countdown Week 1 Audience Equals Best Since 2016

ESPN’s delivered its most-watched Monday Night Football game since 2009 and its third best Monday game in the current era (2006 – present and 270+ games), as 19,845,000 viewers – across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes – turned in for the Seattle Seahawks’ victory over the Denver Broncos in quarterback Russell Wilson’s return (September 12, 8:15 p.m. ET).

The highly anticipated showdown, which marked the debut of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman in the Monday Night Football broadcast booth and began Lisa Salters’ 11th season on the franchise’s sideline, was easily ESPN’s most-watched Week 1 game since it began airing Monday Night Football (32 games) and was up 16% from last year’s record-setting Week 1 audience.

Factoring in all regular season games of ESPN’s current era of NFL rights (2006 – present), last night’s game is the fourth best on record:

Rank Date Game Viewership
1 Monday, Oct. 5, 2009 Minnesota at Green Bay 21,839,000
2 Monday, Nov. 30, 2009 New Orleans at New England 21,402,000
3 Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022 Dallas at Philadelphia 20,195,000
4 Monday, Sept.12, 2022 Denver at Seattle 19,845,000

Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli garnered 1,502,000 viewers (on ESPN2 and ESPN+), a staggering 86% jump from their season debut last year (805,000 viewers). The alternate presentation adds to its record setting alternate telecast historical viewership, as it now accounts for all 10 of ESPN’s 10 most-watched alternate telecasts (more than 80 since 2014).

Sunday NFL Countdown Generates Significant Audience Increase

Sunday NFL Countdown (Sept. 11, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.) registered 1.6 million viewers for its Week 1 edition, matching the 2019 season as the most-watched Kickoff Week episode since 2016. The pre-game show was up 35% from 2021 Week 1 installments.

COMING UP: Monday Night Football – Two Games, One Night in Week 2

Monday Night Football in Week 2 will feature two games in one night, as Disney Networks present more than five hours of consecutive football action across ESPN and ABC. The night begins with Tennessee at Buffalo at 7:15 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN with Minnesota at Philadelphia kicking off at 8:30 p.m. on ABC. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters will call Vikings-Eagles, while Steve Levy, Dan Orlovsky, Louis Riddick and Laura Rutledge will call Titans-Bills. More on Monday’s coverage plans later this week.

Viewership reported by Nielsen includes streaming audience across ESPN and NFL digital properties.

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2022 Is Most-Watched NTT IndyCar Series Season in Six Years

Posted on by Danielle Langer





2022 Is Most-Watched NTT IndyCar Series Season in Six Years and Most-Watched Across NBC Sports on Record
Half of the season’s 16 races on television delivered a TAD of more than 1 million viewers, the highest mark since 2008.
[via press release from NBC Sports]
2022 IS MOST-WATCHED NTT INDYCAR SERIES SEASON IN SIX YEARS AND MOST-WATCHED ACROSS NBC SPORTS ON RECORD

Season-Long INDYCAR Viewership Up 5% vs. 2021

Half of Season Races Averaged More Than 1 Million Viewers; Highest Total Since 2008

2022 is Most-Streamed INDYCAR Season on Record

STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 13, 2022 – NBC Sports’ 2022 coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES delivered the most-watched INDYCAR season in six years (since 2016) and NBC Sports’ most-watched season on record, an increase of 5% compared to 2021.

The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, capped off by Will Power winning his second-career series championship, averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 1.30 million viewers across NBC, USA Network, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms, marking the most-watched season for the INDYCAR SERIES since 2016 (1.31 million viewers, NBCSN TAD/ABC TV-only) and ranking as the best in NBC Sports history, up 5% vs. last year’s then-record viewership (1.24 million viewers, NBC/NBCSN). TAD is based on data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics.

Half of the season’s 16 races on television delivered a TAD of more than 1 million viewers, the highest mark since 2008. The inaugural race of 2022, the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Feb. 27, stands as the most-watched season-opener in 11 years with a TAD of 1.44 million viewers (St. Pete, 2011, 1.84 million, ABC) and the most-watched non-Indianapolis 500 INDYCAR race in 11 years.

Additionally, the Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 10 delivered the most-watched edition of the race in NBC Sports history (since 2009) with a TAD of 1.08 million viewers.

Bolstered by streaming on Peacock, including the platform’s exclusive presentation of the Honda Indy Toronto on July 17, the 2022 season ranked as the most-streamed INDYCAR season on record with an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 50,400 viewers, up 470% vs. 2021. The 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 was the most-streamed INDYCAR race ever with an AMA of 218,800 viewers. The AMA also includes streaming on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app via authentication.

–NBC SPORTS–



US Open Audience Up 50% from 2021, ESPN’s Third Best Ever

Posted on by Danielle Langer





US Open Audience Up 50% from 2021, ESPN’s Third Best Ever
The semifinal between Alcaraz and Tiafoe on Friday, September 9, averaged 2.96 million viewers – peaking at 3.6 million – for the five-plus hour telecast that started at 7 p.m. ET.
[via press release from ESPN]
US Open Audience up 50% from 2021, ESPN’s Third Best Ever

Alcaraz-Tiafoe Semifinal Averages 2.96 Million Viewers:

ESPN’s Best-Ever Semifinal from any Event

The 2022 US Open on ESPN averaged 1.21 million viewers over the two weeks and nearly 168 hours of wall-to-wall live coverage, up 50% from last year and the third-best for ESPN since it gained exclusivity for the last of tennis’ four Majors each year in 2015. The audience was boosted during the first week by the widespread attention to Serena Williams – who was featured three times in prime time plus in a doubles match with her sister Venus – who most believe was playing her final tournament and in the second week by matches with Frances Tiafoe, Coco Gauff and eventual men’s champion, Carlos Alcaraz. (See individual match viewership notes below.)

The semifinal between Alcaraz and Tiafoe on Friday, Sept. 9, averaged 2.96 million viewers – peaking at 3.6 million – for the five-plus hour telecast that started at 7 p.m. ET. That is up 66% from the equivalent telecast in 2021 and ranks as ESPN’s ninth biggest tennis audience on record. It is also ESPN’s sixth best from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. (coverage began in 2009). It is ESPN’s biggest tennis audience for a match from a Major event that did not include the legends of the last 20+ years – Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams. Not only is it the only semifinal in ESPN’s top 10 tennis audiences, but when combined with the afternoon semifinal, Casper Ruud over Karen Khachanov, the 2.2 million average audience is the biggest for the penultimate round of any tournament ESPN has televised.

Did You Know?

The 167.7 hours aired is not only ESPN’s most ever from the US Open, but it represents an increase of 27 hours from the scheduled 141 hours – an increase of 19% of “bonus” coverage.

More Notes on Individual US Open Audiences:

Monday, Aug. 29

· ESPN registered its best-ever opening day and opening day prime time audiences (started in 2009).

· The afternoon window on ESPN (noon – 7 p.m.) averaged the second-best ever for opening day, trailing only 2015, the launch of ESPN’s exclusivity and first-ball-to-last-ball coverage (680,000 viewers) with 626,000 viewers, up 44% from 2021.

· ESPN broke its first-day record with 1.7 million viewers for PrimeTime at the US Open presented by IBM (7 p.m. – 12:03 a.m. ET), an increase of 279% – nearly four-fold – over last year and up 40% over the previous high in 2019.

· Combining the afternoon and prime-time windows, the total-day average of 843,000 viewers is ESPN’s best ever for day one, again starting with 2009, and 4% better than the previous best, 809,000 in 2019.

· The audience for Serena Williams vs. Danka Kovinic averaged 2.7 million fans and peaked in the last quarter-hour (9 – 9:15 p.m. ET) at 3.2 million.

Wednesday, Aug. 31

· The entire 5.5-hour prime-time telecast averaged 2.3 million viewers, up 289% over last year’s equivalent telecast. It is ESPN’s most-watched Early Round (Rounds 1-3) telecast in its US Open history and ranks ninth on the list of ESPN’s most-watched US Open telecasts ever (at the time).

· The Serena Williams vs. Anett Kontaveit match averaged 3.6 million viewers and peaked in the last quarter hour (9:30-9:45 p.m.) with five million viewers.

· Williams vs. Kontaveit helped ESPN lead all networks – broadcast or cable – among Men and Adults among 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 in prime time. ESPN ranked as the second most-viewed network among households and P2+.

Thursday, Sept. 1

· ESPN’s most-watched Day Four of the US Open ever (1.0 million viewers).

· ESPN2’s prime-time telecast including the Williams sisters’ doubles match was the third most-viewed Third-Round telecast ever on ESPN networks.

· The entire telecast averaged 1.5 million viewers, up 131% from the same night a year ago. The Williams Sisters’ match averaged 2.2 million.

Friday, Sept. 2

· The Serena Williams vs. Ajla Tomljanovich third-round match was the most-watched tennis telecast on record in ESPN’s 43-year history: an average of 4.6 million viewers (P2+). (The previous record of 3.9 million was for the 2012 Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Championship, when Roger Federer defeated Andy Murray).

· The prime-time telecast was the most viewed telecast of the day for broadcast and cable networks in total viewers and all key male and person demos.

· Focusing on the exact time of the match, it averaged 4.8 million viewers from 7:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. ET and peaked with 6.9 million viewers in the 10:15 p.m. quarter-hour.

Notes from Week Two:

· Monday afternoon’s upset victory by Frances Tiafoe over Rafael Nadal. earned an average audience of 2.4 million fans, peaking at 3.4 million. The entire 11 a.m. window of nearly eight hours delivered an average audience of 1.7 million viewers, up more than double – 113% – over the same telecast last year.

· Tuesday’s prime-time telecast on ESPN averaged 1.8 million people, 75% higher than the same night in 2021. The Day Nine audience peaked at 2.6 million in the late stages of Coco Gauff dropping a quarterfinal match vs. Garcia.

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ESPN College Football: Week 2 Viewership Up Significantly Year-Over-Year

Posted on by Danielle Langer





ESPN College Football: Week 2 Viewership Up Significantly Year-Over-Year for ABC/ESPN, Multi-Year Growth for “College GameDay”
Tennessee at Pittsburgh delivered a 27.5 rating in the Knoxville market.
[via press release from ESPN]
ESPN College Football: Week 2 Viewership Up Significantly Year-Over-Year for ABC/ESPN, Multi-Year Growth for College GameDay

Top Local Markets for Select ABC and ESPN Games

Tennessee at Pittsburgh: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Rank Market Rating
1 Knoxville 27.5
2 Nashville 14.3
3 Birmingham 12.5
4 Pittsburgh 11.7
5 Memphis 6.0

Kentucky at Florida: 7 p.m., ESPN
Rank Market Rating
1 Jacksonville-N. Brunswk. 11.8
2 Louisville 11.3
3 Birmingham 10.2
4 Knoxville 9.0
5 Orlando 7.7

USC at Stanford: 7:30 p.m., ABC
Rank Market Rating
1 Knoxville 5.4
2 Los Angeles 4.4
3 Nashville 4.1
4 Birmingham 4.1
5 Columbus, OH 3.3

– 30 –