• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, July 1, 2025

In Win for Networks, Nielsen Begins Incorporating Out-of-Home Viewership

  • In a long-awaited change, Nielsen will include out-of-home viewers in its ratings.
  • A boost to viewership could lead to a boost in ad dollars.
In Win for Networks, Nielsen Begins Incorporating Out-of-Home Viewership
Albert Cesare / The Cincinnati Enquirer-USA TODAY Sports

Nielsen, the go-to provider for linear television ratings and viewership numbers, has updated its protocols to make a long-needed change from networks’ perspectives. 

The company will now include “out-of-home” viewership in its totals, which include those who are watching in bars, restaurants and workplaces, for example. Some sports networks, like ESPN, had already subscribed to the company’s standalone out-of-home reporting service that launched in 2017. 

That will mean a boost to viewership — by as much as about 10% in some cases, some early data has shown — which in turn could mean a boost to ad dollars for networks. 

Some ad agencies are reportedly upset with Nielsen, as they will now have to pay for viewers they were essentially previously getting for free. 

Last year, Nielsen rolled out plans to make the change in time for the fall 2020 TV season. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the company said it would delay the move as most out-of-home viewing locales were closed. 

Networks strongly objected, however, as they had already sold ads based on projected metrics that included OOH viewership. With the NFL season looming, that would have meant a major headache from reworking ad desks. 

Several network executives told the Sports Business Daily that “most of their ad deals for the fall “place some sort of value on the OOH measurement.” Nielsen reversed its decision a day later and rolled out the metric on Sept. 1. 

“This is a big deal for sports. Basically from the day I started at Fox the two things that were often talked about as potential game-changers for sports TV were legal gambling and out-of-home ratings. Now they’re both here,” Fox Sports EVP Michael Mulvihill said on Twitter Aug. 31. “We know from preliminary data that the OOH sports audience is younger, more female and more diverse than the in-home audience. Will that change how sports are valued? We’re already seeing huge impact to local MLB viewing among young people.”

Nielsen’s change comes as sports viewership numbers have become a major topic of conversation in the United States, where President Donald Trump has repeatedly posited that NBA player protests are driving away viewers. But there are a number of other explanations for some games seeing relatively low numbers, including that the bubble season has abnormal start times — games have been airing throughout the workday, rather than solely in primetime. 

In the three weeks following the return of national broadcasts of live sports on July 23, over 500 marketers combined to spend $100 million on advertising. Of the 100 marketers whose ads appeared during NBA, MLB and NHL games prior to the pandemic, 83 returned in that timeframe.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Nuggets, Rockets Make Aggressive Moves to Challenge Thunder

Denver took the Thunder to seven games in the conference semifinals.

ESPN, MLB Relationship May Not Be Over After All

The parties restart rights talks amid a high-profile divorce in February.

What Would a LeBron James L.A. Exit Look Like?

ESPN’s Bobby Marks said “there isn’t” a trade market for James.

As NBA Salary Cap Rises, Role Players Are Getting $100M+ Deals

The salary cap has increased by 10% in three of four seasons.

Featured Today

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
June 26, 2025

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.
Leo Messi

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.
June 17, 2025

Streaming Tops Linear for First Time, Sports Still Key to TV’s Resilience

Streaming hits another critical milestone in an accelerating media transition.
June 17, 2025

Zaslav Takes Pay Cut, TNT Sports Future Unclear in WBD Shake-Up

The TNT Sports parent company retools its executive pay after shareholder pushback.