Press Release – LOS ANGELES – Powered by the growing popularity of Ultimate Fighting Championship® programming, FUEL TV continues the strong audience growth exhibited in 2012, opening this year with its most-watched quarter ever, a span that featured five of the network’s top-10 most-watched days, according to Nielsen Media Research. The growth stories, however, don’t stop there.
FUEL TV’s March performance tied with February 2013 as the network’s highest-rated ever in both households and in its M18-49 target demographic thanks to the record-shattering viewership of UFC ON FUEL TV 8: SILVA VS. STANN on Saturday, March 2. Additionally, March was FUEL TV’s second most-watched month of all time in total viewers, just behind February 2013. On March 2, FUEL TV logged three of its four most-watched programs ever, plus its most-watched day and most-watched prime time ever.
FUEL TV’s second-most watched program also took place in the quarter, with the UFC ON FX 7: BELFORT VS. BISPING PRELIMS on Saturday, Jan. 20, delivering FUEL TV 255,000 total viewers.
Additional Audience Highlights:
FUEL TV’s first quarter of 2013 topped the first quarter of 2012 by +50% in households, +44% on total viewers and +33% among M18-49.
March 2013 outperformed March ’12 by +100% on households, +75% on total viewers and +63% among M18-49.
FUEL TV’s two most-watched days in network history and five of the top ten all occurred during the first quarter of 2013, led by March 2, which averaged 131,000 total viewers and 78,000 M18-49.
The network televised its four most-watched programs of all time and six of the top ten during the first quarter of 2013 – led by UFC® ON FUEL TV 8 on March 2, which shattered records by delivering an average of 485,000 total viewers and 282,000 M18-49, easily becoming the most-watched program in network history.
FUEL TV continues its coverage of the UFC® this week two shows around THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER 17 FINALE. The network telecasts the live UFC WEIGH-IN SHOW (6:00 PM ET) on Friday, April 12, and live UFC POSTFIGHT SHOW (12:00 AM ET) on Saturday, April 13.
FUEL TV
FUEL TV is the only cable and satellite television network that features the exciting world of adrenaline and thrill-seeking sports as well as high energy entertainment programming. This includes UFC®, surfing, motocross, BMX and more. With more hours of UFC® coverage than any other network, FUEL TV is the ultimate destination for live fights, weigh-ins, prelims, pre- and postfight coverage, results and more. This new generation of sports provides a rich landscape of some of the most vibrant and action-packed television entertainment in the world. See why adrenaline sports fans call FUEL TV the channel they never turn off. FUEL TV, part of FOX Sports Media Group, was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in more than 36 million U.S. homes and can be accessed by broadband, mobile devices and other digital platforms such as iTunes®. FUEL TV programming is available in more than 50 countries around the world with 24/7 channels operating in Australia and Europe. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4 FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.
FOX Sports Media Group
FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) is the umbrella entity representing News Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FSMG includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FSMG includes FOX Sports, the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; Fox’s 20 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; SPEED and SPEED2; FOX Soccer, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FUEL TV; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FSMG also encompasses FOX Sports Interactive Media, which includes FOXSports.com on MSN, Whatifsports.com Scout.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are Fox’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, BTN 2Go and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network and FOX Sports Skybox restaurants.