With the 2019/20 Bundesliga restarting after the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, we’ve received several questions from readers on social media and e-mail about how the latest viewing figures compare to other matches. So, based on popular demand, here’s the list of the most-watched Bundesliga games on US TV from 2016 through 2020 (English-language TV only).
While we were disappointed with the recent numbers on FS1, the numbers are very positive when compared to previous Bundesliga matches that have aired on English-language U.S. television. In fact, the two big matches that aired recently are the most-watched Bundesliga viewing numbers on FS1 since we’ve begun tabulating the soccer TV ratings data from 2016 onwards.
| Rank | Game | Date | Broadcaster | Avg Viewership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayern Munich-Dortmund | 4/6/19 | FOX | 470,000 |
| 2 | Dortmund-Bayern Munich | 11/19/16 | FOX | 426,000 |
| 3 | Bayern Munich-Frankfurt | 5/18/19 | FOX | 413,000 |
| 4 | Bayern Munich-Freiburg | 5/20/17 | FOX | 395,000 |
| 5 | Dortmund-RB Leipzig | 8/26/18 | FOX | 395,000 |
| 6 | Dortmund-Schalke | 5/16/20 | FS1 | 365,000 |
| 7 | Union Berlin-Bayern Munich | 5/17/20 | FS1 | 361,000 |
| 8 | Bayern Munich-Dortmund | 3/31/18 | FOX | 352,000 |
| 9 | RB Leipzig-Bayern Munich | 5/11/19 | FOX | 348,000 |
| 10 | RB Leipzig-Bayern Munich | 5/13/17 | FOX | 339,000 |
| 11 | Hoffenheim-Dortmund | 5/12/18 | FOX | 329,000 |
| 12 | Wolfsburg-Bayern Munich | 4/29/17 | FOX | 308,000 |
| 13 | Bremen-Leverkusen | 10/15/16 | FOX | 296,000 |
| 14 | Leverkusen-Bayern Munich | 4/15/17 | FOX | 282,000 |
| 15 | Gladbach-Leverkusen | 8/27/16 | FOX | 248,000 |
With the Bundesliga moving to ESPN+ beginning next season, and ESPN promising to broadcast four matches per season on television, it’ll be interesting to see how the numbers from FOX Sports (who had the rights from 2015 to 2020) will measure up against ESPN.
SEE MORE: Listen to our interview with Soccer Made In Germany’s Toby Charles
Meanwhile, here’s the list of the top 8 most-watched Bundesliga games on US TV on FS1 from 2017 to 2020 for comparative purposes:
| Rank | Game | Date | Avg Viewership |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dortmund-Schalke | 5/16/20 | 365,000 |
| 2 | Union Berlin-Bayern Munich | 5/17/20 | 361,000 |
| 3 | Frankfurt-Gladbach | 5/16/20 | 232,000 |
| 4 | Bayern Munich-Dortmund | 4/8/17 | 174,000 |
| 5 | Koln-Mainz | 5/17/20 | 167,000 |
| 6 | Dortmund-Hertha Berlin | 8/26/17 | 142,000 |
| 7 | Bayern Munich-Frankfurt | 3/11/17 | 124,000 |
| 8 | Bremen-Bayern Munich | 8/26/17 | 124,000 |
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John
June 24, 2020 at 12:57 pm
I really doubt you see better numbers on ESPN+. Maybe those 4 games on regular ESPN channels will do better.
Gustavo Nascimento
June 23, 2020 at 11:03 pm
Advertisement for Bundesliga was extremely poor, likely due to the fact ESPN was taking the network rights so FOX simply chose to punt. Missed opportunity for the sport
Leo
May 19, 2020 at 7:55 pm
280K is the avg for the 4 games on FS1 on the weekend.
140K is the avg for the historical four highest games ever televised on FS1. Probably the mean of all the games before covid19 in that station were between 10K~30K or maybe less than that.
HUGE increase in FS1 if you ask me assuming the figures stay about the same the following weeks not to mention the viewership you deliberately avoid to consider of TUDN, FOX Deportes, etc. FOX magistral movement.
Edwin
June 24, 2020 at 12:05 pm
Was lower than that last time WST compiled the numbers for Bundesliga it was avg about 60k. So Bundesliga got a big bump as the first league back.