It’s always better to view these numbers over time as a directional trend than to take any one particular month seriously, but the trend is down, down, down and March was no exception.
March outliers: NBCSN gaining a million+ households. This is probably because of the new deal w/DirecTV though per Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand, that was to have added about 3 million homes so keep your eye out for how NBCSN looks in the April estimates. The Tennis Channel is a recent addition to national Nielsen measurement — I didn’t notice it had started being measured but in the February estimates it had 44.361 million homes growing by nearly 8 million homes in the March estimates to 52.15 million.
**DO THESE NUMBERS INCLUDE STREAMING SERVICES LIKE SlingTV, Vue and DirecTV Now?**
In the past that was a simple question to answer. The answer was “no.” Some people didn’t like it but it was simple! December was the last month that was the case though.
Starting with the January estimates the answer changed to “Yes….kind of.”
I applaud Nielsen for plowing ahead though I don’t know that I’d have gone ahead and started when I only had 6 (January estimates) or 21 (February estimates) or 37 (March estimates) households that I could sample. By comparison the national TV panel has around 40,000 homes in it with around 100,000 participants.
**Nielsen plans to grow the alternate MPVD services (streaming services like SlingTV, Vue, DirecTV Now) participation rapidly over the next 6 months.**
Two tables below: first the March estimates for the cable sports networks (stick to sports!) and those sports networks’ change versus the February estimates. The second table is the coverage estimates for all nationally measured cable networks.
Note I include the estimate for the total pay cable world in the first table and I find it a useful barometer in this way: if total pay cable was down 390,000 homes and ESPN was down 422,000 homes ESPN’s losses were in-line with overall cable losses.
Nielsen cable (includes satellite & telco services) coverage estimates for the nationally measured cable sports networks for March 2017:
If you’re on a mobile phone these tables should be much easier to read if you tilt your phone to landscape mode.
| Network name | Feb 2017 Estimate (000) | March 2017 Estimate (000) | Change Since Feb (000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEIN SPORT | 22,744 | 22,679 | -65 |
| BEIN SPORT ESPANOL | 18,209 | 18,319 | 110 |
| ESPN | 87,859 | 87,437 | -422 |
| ESPN2 | 87,731 | 87,349 | -382 |
| ESPNU | 69,207 | 68,574 | -633 |
| FOX DEPORTES | 21,359 | 21,282 | -77 |
| FS1 | 84,724 | 84,159 | -565 |
| FS2 | 50,569 | 50,164 | -405 |
| GOLF CHANNEL | 76,399 | 75,678 | -721 |
| MLB NETWORK | 64,413 | 64,014 | -399 |
| NBA-TV | 51,728 | 50,838 | -890 |
| NBC SPORTS NETWORK | 82,483 | 83,790 | 1307 |
| NFL NETWORK | 71,252 | 70,954 | -298 |
| THE TENNIS CHANNEL | 44,361 | 52,150 | 7789 |
| UNIVISION DEPORTES | 46,719 | 46,595 | -124 |
| Total Cable | 97,341 | 96,992 | -349 |
| Nielsen cable coverage estimates via friends at networks and not directly from Nielsen via @SportsTVRatings |
Nielsen cable (includes satellite & telco services) coverage estimates for ALL nationally measured cable networks for March 2017:
| Network name | March 2017 Estimated # of Homes (000) | Coverage % |
|---|---|---|
| A&E NETWORK | 90,343 | 76% |
| ADULT SWIM | 90,788 | 77% |
| AMC | 90,552 | 76% |
| AMERICAN HEROES CHANNEL (Formerly MILITARY CHANNEL) | 53,890 | 46% |
| ANIMAL PLANET | 88,859 | 75% |
| BABY FIRST TV | 53,931 | 46% |
| BBC-AMERICA | 79,153 | 67% |
| BEIN SPORT | 22,679 | 19% |
| BEIN SPORT ESPANOL | 18,319 | 15% |
| BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV | 83,897 | 71% |
| BOOMERANG | 42,585 | 36% |
| BRAVO | 87,213 | 74% |
| CENTRIC | 50,357 | 43% |
| CHILLER | 35,687 | 30% |
| CINE LATINO | 5,444 | 5% |
| CMT | 75,182 | 63% |
| CNBC | 87,947 | 74% |
| CNN (Formerly CABLE NEWS NETWORK) | 91,567 | 77% |
| CNN / HLN | 92,644 | 78% |
| COMEDY CENTRAL | 89,538 | 76% |
| COOKING CHANNEL (Formerly FINE LIVING) | 63,756 | 54% |
| DESTINATION AMERICA (Formerly PLANET GREEN) | 52,687 | 44% |
| DISCOVERY CHANNEL | 91,388 | 77% |
| DISCOVERY EN ESPANOL | 6,278 | 5% |
| DISCOVERY FAMILIA | 5,515 | 5% |
| DISCOVERY FAMILY CHANNEL (Formerly THE HUB) | 62,169 | 53% |
| DISCOVERY LIFE CHANNEL (Formerly DISCOVERY FIT & HEALTH) | 46,508 | 39% |
| DISNEY CHANNEL | 91,312 | 77% |
| DISNEY JUNIOR | 72,167 | 61% |
| DISNEY XD (Formerly TOON DISNEY) | 74,710 | 63% |
| DIY NETWORK | 58,368 | 49% |
| E! ENTERTAINMENT TV | 89,488 | 76% |
| EL REY | 44,877 | 38% |
| ESPN | 87,437 | 74% |
| ESPN2 | 87,349 | 74% |
| ESPNU | 68,574 | 58% |
| ESQUIRE NETWORK (Formerly STYLE) | 44,581 | 38% |
| FM (formerly NUVO TV) | 39,354 | 33% |
| FOOD NETWORK | 92,873 | 78% |
| FOX BUSINESS NETWORK | 83,791 | 71% |
| FOX DEPORTES | 21,282 | 18% |
| FOX NEWS CHANNEL | 89,433 | 76% |
| FOX SPORTS 1 | 84,159 | 71% |
| FOX SPORTS 2 | 50,164 | 42% |
| FREEFORM (Formerly ABC FAMILY) | 89,117 | 75% |
| FUSE | 64,030 | 54% |
| FX | 90,060 | 76% |
| FX MOVIE CHANNEL | 55,729 | 47% |
| FXX (Formerly FOX SOCCER CHANNEL) | 85,573 | 72% |
| FYI (Formerly BIOGRAPHY CHANNEL) | 63,388 | 54% |
| GALAVISION | 67,204 | 57% |
| GOLF CHANNEL | 75,678 | 64% |
| GREAT AMERICAN COUNTRY | 56,352 | 48% |
| GSN | 75,558 | 64% |
| HALLMARK CHANNEL | 88,451 | 75% |
| HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES (Formerly HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL) | 66,629 | 56% |
| HBO - THE WORKS | 34,438 | 29% |
| HBO PRIME | 33,882 | 29% |
| HEADLINE NEWS | 90,651 | 77% |
| HISTORY | 90,888 | 77% |
| HOME AND GARDEN TV | 90,949 | 77% |
| IFC TV (Formerly INDEPENDENT FILM CHANNEL) | 71,343 | 60% |
| INSP (Formerly THE INSPIRATIONAL NETWORK) | 81,297 | 69% |
| INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY (Formerly DISCOVERY TIMES) | 84,732 | 72% |
| LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK | 75,338 | 64% |
| LIFETIME TELEVISION | 90,296 | 76% |
| LOGO | 48,270 | 41% |
| MAXPRIME | 20,333 | 17% |
| MLB NETWORK | 64,014 | 54% |
| MSNBC | 89,317 | 75% |
| MTV (Formerly MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION) | 87,573 | 74% |
| MTV2 | 75,412 | 64% |
| MTV CLASSIC (Formerly VH1 CLASSIC) | 52,266 | 44% |
| MULTIMAX | 20,652 | 17% |
| NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (Formerly NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHNL) | 89,348 | 75% |
| NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD | 56,124 | 47% |
| NBA-TV | 50,838 | 43% |
| NBC SPORTS NETWORK | 83,790 | 71% |
| NBC UNIVERSO (Formerly MUN2 CABLE) | 42,378 | 36% |
| NFL NETWORK | 70,954 | 60% |
| NICK JR (Formerly NOGGIN) | 71,946 | 61% |
| NICK-AT-NITE | 89,108 | 75% |
| NICKELODEON | 89,108 | 75% |
| NICKTOONS | 62,095 | 52% |
| OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK (Formerly Discovery Health) | 77,705 | 66% |
| OUTDOOR CHANNEL | 38,160 | 32% |
| OVATION NETWORK | 47,120 | 40% |
| OXYGEN MEDIA | 75,298 | 64% |
| POP (Formerly TV GUIDE NETWORK) | 72,820 | 62% |
| REELZCHANNEL | 64,868 | 55% |
| RFD-TV | 44,311 | 37% |
| SCIENCE (Formerly SCIENCE CHANNEL) | 68,258 | 58% |
| SHOWTIME | 28,979 | 24% |
| SHOWTIME PRIME | 28,745 | 24% |
| SMITHSONIAN | 36,830 | 31% |
| SPIKE TV | 83,416 | 70% |
| SPORTSMAN CHANNEL | 31,081 | 26% |
| SPROUT | 58,266 | 49% |
| STARZ | 30,602 | 26% |
| STARZ ENCORE (Formerly ENCORE) | 38,017 | 32% |
| STARZ ENCORE PRIMARY (Formerly ENCORE PRIMARY) | 35,899 | 30% |
| STARZ PRIMARY | 29,422 | 25% |
| SUNDANCE TV (Formerly SUNDANCE CHANNEL) | 65,505 | 55% |
| SYFY | 89,472 | 76% |
| TBS NETWORK | 91,671 | 77% |
| TEENNICK (Formerly THE N) | 68,472 | 58% |
| THE CARTOON NETWORK | 90,788 | 77% |
| THE TENNIS CHANNEL | 52,150 | 44% |
| THE WEATHER CHANNEL | 84,045 | 71% |
| TLC | 89,764 | 76% |
| TRAVEL CHANNEL | 84,215 | 71% |
| TRU TV (Formerly COURT TV) | 86,832 | 73% |
| TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION | 90,332 | 76% |
| TV LAND | 87,617 | 74% |
| TV LAND CLASSIC | 87,617 | 74% |
| TV ONE | 59,323 | 50% |
| UNIVISION DEPORTES | 46,595 | 39% |
| UP (Formerly GMC) | 68,997 | 58% |
| USA NETWORK | 91,429 | 77% |
| VELOCITY (Formerly HD THEATER) | 71,436 | 60% |
| VH1 | 87,568 | 74% |
| VICELAND | 71,909 | 61% |
| WE TV (Formerly Womens Entertainment) | 86,094 | 73% |
| WGN AMERICA (Formerly Superstation WGN) | 80,398 | 68% |
| Z LIVING | 21,896 | 18% |
All data ©Nielsen (data provided by a variety of TV network sources and not directly from Nielsen)
—
SInclair, which owns Tennis Channel, has just bought Tennis magazine and tennis.com.
Pretty much all worthless except for.Ticker Carlson 9pm fox news and 7pm Lou Dobbs Fox Business
I subscribed to DirecTV from it’s inception (1990)until Nov ’16. Could not watch anymore PC propaganda; slanted news that informed 5th grader could detect; sexually immoral agendas; and when sports media became PC my tv’s went to curb! Miss thm Cboys, Stars, Rangers🇨🇱but no Mavs or DMN
Been with direct tv for 10 years, it’s garbage programming, garbage content 😌. Installing roku ……. will stream fox business channel, the hell with direct tv 📺 and att.