Part 4/8:
Several factors contributed to this fall-off. Competing programming, including college football and other sporting events, drew viewers away. While there were mitigating circumstances—a weekend game aired on True TV, a channel with lower viewership ranks—this steep decline raised alarms about audience retention. Follow-up games on Monday yielded similarly disappointing results: one game barely topped 190,000 viewers, while another fell to a mere 120,000.
Competition and Market Reality
As the analyst discussed, competition for viewership is a constant reality in the sports world. Similar challenges plague women’s sports in general, particularly given that they often operate during less competitive months. These leagues are thus at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting fans.