The TV ratings are in for Week 4 of the CFL season. On the Canadian side, the numbers have been promising in the early weeks of the season. Overall, in the first four weeks of this season, the CFL has attracted an average audience of 524,000 viewers, an increase of 11% compared to the same period in the 2019 season.
On the American side of things, the numbers have been slightly disappointing. Although, all CFL games air on ESPN’s linear networks. ESPN2, ESPNNews, and ESPN+. The viewership totals are barely registering. Firstly, the games that air on ESPN News are not monitored by Nielsen Media Research, as they have been in years past. Furthermore, the later than usual start of the CFL season has put them in direct competition with the NFL, and with the NFL’s season upon us, getting eyeballs on the CFL product in the fall will be more challenging in the coming weeks ahead.
Due to the postponement of the Edmonton-Toronto game last Thursday. There were only three CFL games played in week 4.
CFL On TSN Week 4 TV Ratings
Last Friday’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats-Montreal Alouettes game attracted an average audience of 500,000 viewers. A 25% increase compared to the last meeting between both teams in 2019.
Saturday’s BC-Ottawa game averaged 400,000 viewers.
Sunday Night’s riveting game between Calgary and Winnipeg averaged 673,000 viewers, becoming the most-watched game between both teams since 2013.
(Numbers provided by TSN/Bell Media)
CFL On ESPN2 Week 4 TV Ratings
Sunday Night’s Calgary-Winnipeg telecast on ESPN2 did not register in the top 150 rated cable programs. The average viewership for the game was 78,000 viewers.
Thus far, in a minimal sample. The ESPN2 based CFL telecasts have averaged roughly 100,000 viewers per telecast.
In week five, two of the CFL’s games will air on ESPN News. Sunday’s Winnipeg-Saskatchewan game at 6 pm ET. And on Monday at 4:30 pm ET, the Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders clash in the Labour Day Classic.
