The TV ratings are in for Week 6 of the USFL 2023 Regular season. The USFL averaged 622,000 viewers in Week 5 with three broadcast network games. In Week 6, the league aired two of its four weekly games on cable for the first time since Week 2.
USFL 2023 Week 6 TV Ratings On FOX, FS1, And The USA Network (Per Nielsen Media Research)
Week 6’s opening USFL game between the Pittsburgh Maulers and Memphis Showboats averaged 227,000 viewers. The 12:30 pm Saturday afternoon telecast on the USA network was rated 39th out of the top 150 cable TV shows in the 18-49 demographic.
The 4 pm ET Saturday broadcast on FOX featuring the Birmingham Stallions and Michigan Panthers averaged 732,000 viewers.
Sunday’s noon FS1 telecast between the Philadelphia Stars and New Orleans Breakers averaged 217,000 viewers. The game was rated 83rd out of 150 cable tv shows in the 18-49 demographic.
The final USFL game of the weekend, pitting the Houston Gamblers and New Jersey Generals, averaged 630,000 viewers at 4 pm ET on FOX.
The USFL’s Week 6 games averaged 451,500 viewers.
USFL Rating Analysis
Not a great week for the league in terms of overall viewership.
As evidenced over time, there’s been a clear difference and decline between cable and over-the-air network television games. A year ago at this time, the USFL averaged 731,000 viewers in Week 6, but that came from having three network games rather than two.
The sporting calendar is about to clear up with the NBA and NHL wrapping up their playoffs. So that could help the USFL draw in more eyeballs and attention in the coming weeks.
The issue right now is the USFL’s performance thus far on Network television. The league has had only one out of 16 broadcast network games in six weeks that have averaged over a million viewers. Their impressive 2.063 million performance a few weeks ago on NBC primetime. The Derby lead-in surely played a part in what is a brilliant strategy by USFL executives in trying to lure in new and casual viewers.
It’s safe to say that the league is in a mid-season lull for interest. But with all eight teams separated by only one game in the standings. There should be plenty of games in the remaining four weeks of the regular season that have heightened stakes and playoff importance.
Week 7’s slate of USFL games will have only one over-the-air network game with three cable telecasts. The only time you will see that this season. There will be two cable telecasts in Week 10. However, of the USFL’s remaining 16 regular season games, ten will air on NBC or FOX, which should help boost the overall numbers.
Week 7 USFL TV Schedule
Saturday, May 27
Birmingham at New Orleans (Birmingham), 4 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh (Canton), 9 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, May 28
Houston at Memphis (Memphis), 2:30 p.m. (USA)
Michigan at New Jersey (Canton), 5:30 p.m. (FS1)
