In a significant development for football broadcasting, the FA Cup has demonstrated a stronger viewer pull than Premier League matches for TNT Sports this season. Data obtained reveals that the FA Cup third round generated higher viewing figures for the main rights holder than any of their Premier League games, underscoring the competition's lasting popularity as the fourth round commences.
Manchester United vs Brighton Sets the Benchmark
The standout fixture was Brighton's third-round victory over Manchester United in January, which attracted an average audience of 876,000 viewers. This match, broadcast on a Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford, achieved a total reach of 2.1 million based on viewers watching for at least three minutes. Impressively, it captured nearly 10% of the television viewing audience at that time, highlighting its broad appeal.
Comparing Broadcast Schedules
TNT Sports' live Premier League games this season have typically been scheduled for Saturday lunchtimes and midweek evenings, which may have impacted their viewership. In contrast, the FA Cup tie benefited from a later kick-off, a factor that data shows adds value to broadcasters by attracting larger audiences. This trend was further evidenced by Macclesfield Town's historic shock win over holders Crystal Palace, which had an average audience of 1.8 million and a reach of 4.2 million earlier in the day.
FA Cup's Enduring Appeal Amid Criticism
The Football Association faced widespread criticism for selling the FA Cup rights to TNT Sports, a subscription channel, for the current cycle, moving away from the previous shared coverage by the BBC and ITV. However, viewing figures appear to be holding up relatively well, suggesting the competition's appeal remains robust. This season marks the first of TNT's four-year deal, which grants them the right to broadcast every FA Cup tie live that does not kick off at 3pm on Saturday, in compliance with Uefa's Article 48 TV blackout restrictions.
Broadcast Reach and Sub-Licensing
During the third round, twenty-two ties were broadcast live on TNT Sports or its streaming platform, discovery+, attracting almost five million viewers in total. For the upcoming fourth round, eleven ties will be broadcast, starting with Hull City versus Chelsea and Wrexham versus Ipswich. TNT has also entered into a sub-licensing agreement with the BBC, allowing the free-to-air channel to share coverage of 14 FA Cup ties, including two in each round from the third round to the semi-finals.
BBC's Contribution to Viewing Figures
The BBC's coverage has further bolstered the FA Cup's audience numbers. Their biggest audience in the third round was a peak of 3.1 million viewers for Aston Villa's win over Tottenham, which achieved a three-minute reach of 6.5 million. For the fourth round, the BBC has chosen to show Villa versus Newcastle on Saturday evening and Chelsea's trip to Hull as its live games, aiming to continue this momentum.
Overall, these figures indicate that the FA Cup retains a strong viewer base, potentially offering valuable insights for broadcasters in scheduling and rights negotiations. The competition's ability to draw significant audiences, even on subscription channels, reinforces its status as a key event in the football calendar.
