October 23, 2024

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Little can be taken for granted in this NFL season, one awash in entropy. But the Chiefs have reinforced that they are currently the NFL’s ratings juggernaut, and this weekend’s matchup with the 49ers is another notch in their favor.

However, a Disney streaming experiment did not go as planned. What does it say about ESPN+?

— David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

NFL TV Ratings: Chiefs Stay Dominant, ESPN+ Experiment Backfires [[link removed]]

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The highs and lows of the NFL’s evolving TV strategy in 2024 were on full display in Week 7, with a Super Bowl rematch accentuating the league’s regular-season ceiling, and an exclusive streaming broadcast revealing a surprising floor.

On the high end, Fox drew 27 million viewers for the Chiefs’ 28–18 victory Sunday afternoon over the 49ers, who failed to get revenge for their Super Bowl LVIII loss in February. That is the fourth-most-watched game of the season, extending Kansas City’s run of TV ratings dominance [[link removed]]. The unbeaten Chiefs now have five of the six highest TV audiences this NFL season.

On the low end, the Cardinals’ 17–15 win over the Chargers on Monday night averaged 1.8 million viewers [[link removed]] across ESPN+ and local over-the-air channels, according to ProFootballTalk. ESPN told Front Office Sports it would not be releasing specific audience numbers for the game, which started at 9 p.m. ET, and was the first exclusive Monday Night Football stream [[link removed]] as part of a doubleheader.

The Ravens’ 41–31 win over the Buccaneers, which kicked off at 8:15 p.m., drew 16 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, down 14% [[link removed]] from a Vikings-49ers matchup in Week 7 last year.

Reading Between the Lines

While 1.8 million viewers would be great for many sports (the WNBA Finals averaged 1.57 million [[link removed]] this month), things are different for the NFL. So much so that 4.9 million people tuned in to NFL Network two Sunday mornings ago for Jaguars-Bears in London. The smaller audiences of the previous two MNF doubleheaders this season drew 6.4 million (Jaguars-Bills, Week 3) and 5.61 million (Titans-Dolphins, Week 4) viewers on ESPN, according to Sports Media Watch.

In the future, a stand-alone game on ESPN+ (which has roughly 25 million subscribers) would likely draw a far larger audience than 1.8 million. Amazon Prime Video is averaging 13.31 million viewers for its exclusive streams of Thursday Night Football, and 14.2 million people watched Packers-Eagles on Peacock in Week 1.

Fernando Valenzuela’s Impact on Dodgers—and Baseball—Is Indelible [[link removed]]

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Fernando Valenzuela, a Major League Baseball megastar during one of the darkest periods in the sport’s history and a Dodgers icon for decades after, has died at 63, leaving an enormous legacy on the cusp of one of the most-anticipated World Series ever [[link removed]].

Valenzuela, the greatest-ever Mexican-born MLB star, captivated the baseball world, particularly in 1981 when he won the National League Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards and a World Series title with the Dodgers. With a distinctive corkscrew pitching delivery and signature screwball, Valenzuela and his “Fernandomania” became a national phenomenon, and his starts were must-see events.

His appeal was so great that the Dodgers generated a 7% per-game attendance increase during the 1981 season that was otherwise marred by a 50-day players’ strike—at that point the longest work stoppage in MLB history. That lift contrasted sharply against declines at the gate seen that year by 20 of the league’s 26 teams then as many fans around the country showed their displeasure with the labor dispute. Beyond just numbers though, the charismatic Valenzuela also became a beacon of hope for millions of Latinos and he helped make the Dodgers’ fan base one of the most ethnically diverse anywhere in sports.

Following a 17-year playing career in which Valenzuela won 173 games and made six All-Star teams, Valenzuela then shifted to a 22-season run as a Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers. He also served as an ambassador for the team, and up until his death remained one of the most beloved figures in Dodgers history—high praise for a franchise featuring an array of other luminaries.

“We profoundly mourn the passing of Fernando,” said Stan Kasten, Dodgers president and CEO. “He is one of the most influential Dodgers ever and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes. He galvanized the fan base with the Fernandomania of 1981 and has remained close to our hearts ever since, not only as a player but also as a broadcaster. He has left us all too soon.”

A Different Vibe at Chavez Ravine

Valenzuela’s death arrived just three days before the high-profile Dodgers-Yankees World Series begins at the same Dodger Stadium where he starred more than four decades ago. That matchup, highlighted by the presence of megastars such as Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Juan Soto [[link removed]], is driving ticket resale prices not seen since the Cubs’ historic championship run [[link removed]] in 2016.

The former Dodgers ace will be honored during the Dodgers’ home games to start the World Series. Game 1 is on Friday and Game 2 will happen the next day. Specific commemorations are still being developed.

“Fernando will always remain a beloved figure in Dodger history and a special source of pride for the millions of Latino fans he inspired,” said MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. “We will honor Fernando’s memory during the 2024 World Series at Dodger Stadium.”

Valenzuela is also the second major figure in MLB history from the 1970s and 1980s to pass away in recent weeks, following the death of Pete Rose [[link removed]].

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EXCLUSIVE

The new Unrivaled women’s 3-on-3 basketball league is considering a sweeping “Lionel Messi–like” offer to entice Caitlin Clark to play in the league’s inaugural season, sources tell Front Office Sports. That means a big salary, equity, and possibly even a revenue share. Read Michael McCarthy’s report [[link removed]] on how the nascent 30-player league, fresh off signing a rights deal with TNT, is recruiting the biggest name in women’s basketball.

Our “Tuned In” newsletter will keep you updated on everything going on in sports media, with everything from exclusive reporting to columns and interviews. Subscribe here to receive it in your inbox twice a week. [[link removed]]

NIL Watch Stock Rising

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Front Office Sports keeps you updated on the latest NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals shaping college sports. Here’s who is cashing in now:

Athlete: Cam Ward Sport: Football School: Miami Brand: Adidas

The deal: The Heisman Trophy contender and quarterback of the 7–0 Hurricanes has signed his own deal with Adidas, which is already Miami’s apparel partner. Ward will sport Adizero cleats and sneakers on and off the field. The fifth-year senior already had NIL deals with major companies like Bose headphones and preworkout energy-drink brand C4.

ONE BIG FIG All the Way Up

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5.35 million

The average audience for Major League Baseball’s two League Championship Series, a 2% lift from a year ago and the best such figure since 2017. Extending a run of viewership increases during a scintillating playoffs [[link removed]], the LCS figures included an average of 5.6 million for the NL matchup between the Mets and Dodgers, marking the highest figure for Fox in this round since 2019. TBS, which aired the ALCS and AL Division Series, finished its 2024 postseason with a per-game viewership average of 3.8 million, up by 9% from comparable games a year ago.

The World Series begins Friday with a star-studded matchup between the Yankees and Dodgers [[link removed]], driving historic ticket resale activity [[link removed]]. The LCS growth this year arrived despite last season’s series each going to seven games, while the AL matchup between the Yankees and Guardians this year ended in five games, and the Dodgers-Mets series finished in six.

MLB, meanwhile, also continued the robust viewership totals seen in Japan [[link removed]], the home country of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. Game 1 of the NLCS drew 12.1 million viewers there, marking the league’s second-most-watched postseason game there ever. That total also easily beat the comparable U.S. average of 8.5 million for that game.

STATUS REPORT Two Up, One Down, One Push

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James family ⬆ LeBron James and his son Bronny James Jr. made history Tuesday as the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game. Front Office Sports reporter Colin Salao witnessed the historic moment in Los Angeles, where, amid the start of the NBA season and the Lakers’ quest for an 18th championship, the main attraction was the debut of this year’s 55th overall pick [[link removed]].

Sam Houston ⬆ The school has wasted no time becoming bowl-eligible in its first season at the FBS level. Tuesday night’s win over FIU was Sam Houston’s sixth of the season, helping the new Conference USA member reach the threshold typically required for being invited to a postseason bowl game.

WNBA coaches ⬇ Five of the league’s 12 coaches—not including incoming Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase [[link removed]]—have been let go during the offseason. The Washington Mystics announced Wednesday they parted ways with GM Mike Thibault and his son, Eric Thibault, who had been the team’s coach for the past two seasons. Mike Thibault joined the Mystics in 2013 and steered the franchise to its first WNBA championship in 2019. The slew of coaching dismissals is perhaps a sign of the willingness of team owners and front offices to make changes given the WNBA’s unprecedented rise this past season.

LaLiga ⬆⬇ Spain’s top soccer league continues its push to play a regular-season contest in the U.S. [[link removed]] Sources told ESPN that Barcelona’s home match against Atlético de Madrid scheduled for Dec. 22 is a target to move to Miami [[link removed]]. But several complications remain, like the Hard Rock Stadium hosting a 49ers-Dolphins that same Sunday.

SPONSORED BY U.S. BANK

A franchise-record 18,090 fans packed the Barclays Center for the league’s first Game 5 in a Finals series since 2019, for the winner-take-all matchup of what had already been a playoff series for the ages. Sabrina Ionescu’s last-second dagger to win Game 3 carved out a space in the annals of basketball history. The Minnesota Lynx, led by Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams, and Kayla McBride, had played a brand of basketball somehow both unbelievably smooth and electric.

Check out [[link removed]] the Women’s Sports content hub to read the full article about the culmination of the WNBA’s breakthrough season, and stay up to date on all things women’s sports.

Conversation Starters Cosm, which offers a sports-viewing experience similar to the Sphere in Las Vegas [[link removed]], broadcasted the NBA season opener between the Lakers and Timberwolves at its Los Angeles venue. Check it out [[link removed]]. The Celtics unveiled their 2023–2024 championship rings Tuesday ahead of their season opener. Take a look [[link removed]]. FOS Explains broke down how LeBron James built a billion-dollar empire. Watch it here [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Bronny James’s Debut Looms Over Lakers Opener [[link removed]]by Colin Salao [[link removed]]The Jameses played two minutes together during the second quarter. Ohtani’s 50/50 Ball Breaks Record Amid Ownership Dispute [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The ball nearly doubled in price over the auction’s final two days. Unrivaled Preparing ‘Lionel Messi–Like’ Offer for Caitlin Clark [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Messi’s MLS deal included partial ownership and even an Apple TV+ revenue share. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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