Report Filed by Dennis DuBay
XFL Numbers are in for week one, and Vince McMahon is probably strutting around Titan Towers as we speak. We already knew ABC's number, with 3.3 million viewers for the Seattle Dragon/DC Defenders tilt, while the later game between the LA Wildcats and Houston Roughnecks was watched by 3.29 million viewers on Fox.
Fox grabbed another 3.3 million viewers in the first game on Sunday featuring Tampa Bay and New York. The late game saw 2.5 million viewers, as St. Louis Battlehawks outlasted the Dallas Renegades, 15-9.
Paul Fontaine, of the Wrestling Observer notes that ESPN has a 30% less reach than the networks, so that may be the reason for the dip in total numbers - however, It could be people were XFL'd out by that time. I also noticed a lot of comments on twitter in regards to how ESPN was broadcasting. ABC got high remarks while ESPN's coverage looked more "WWE" and less sports league.
ESPN did however win the key number for the day on Sunday, the 18-49 male demographic tuned in big time, with a 1.45, with NASCAR second in that demo with a .49.
Over all, a successful first week for the XFL.
Images via Show Buzz Daily.