Here is the latest update of the Nielsen cable coverage estimates for the cable sports networks. The estimates are for the total number of U.S. homes the channels are available in out of the 116.4 million TV homes that Nielsen estimates for the current TV season. I’m also including the percentage change since July which was the last time I posted the estimates.
It’s not in the chart below, but as of the February 2016 estimates TNT, which airs NBA games, is in 92.681 million homes, about a 2% advantage over ESPN according to Nielsen.
Nielsen cable (includes satellite & telco services) coverage estimates for the cable sports networks as of February 2016:
| Network name | Estimated # of Homes (000) | Coverage % | July 2015 Estimate | Change vs July 2015 |
| BEIN SPORT | 25,161 | 21.6 | 18,161 | 38.5% |
| ESPN | 90,988 | 78.2 | 92,940 | -2.1% |
| ESPN2 | 90,879 | 78.1 | 92,855 | -2.1% |
| ESPNU | 70,733 | 60.8 | 73,091 | -3.2% |
| FOX DEPORTES | 22,099 | 19.0 | 21,534 | 2.6% |
| FS1 | 84,166 | 72.3 | 84,309 | -0.2% |
| FS2 | 50,801 | 43.6 | 46,659 | 8.9% |
| GOLF CHANNEL | 76,477 | 65.7 | 78,299 | -2.3% |
| MLB NETWORK | 66,018 | 56.7 | 68,342 | -3.4% |
| NBA-TV | 53,384 | 45.9 | 55,785 | -4.3% |
| NBC SPORTS NETWORK | 83,022 | 71.3 | 83,874 | -1.0% |
| NFL NETWORK | 69,634 | 59.8 | 70,466 | -1.2% |
| UNIVISION DEPORTES | 47,093 | 40.5 | 44,221 | 6.5% |