XFL opening weekend ratings average more than 3 million viewers

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XFL opening weekend ratings average more than 3 million viewers

Zach Brendza | Tuesday, February 11, 2020 5:33 p.m.

New York Guardians quarterback Matt McGloin (14) looks to make a pass during an XFL game against the Tampa Bay Vipers on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. The New York Guardians won 23-3.

The XFL’s first season since 2001 started this past weekend and its telecasts drew millions of viewers.

The first four games, played Saturday and Sunday on Fox, ABC and ESPN, averaged 3.12 million viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Tampa Bay Vipers vs. New York Guardians game Sunday on Fox had the biggest XFL audience with 3.39 million viewers.

ESPN’s Sunday offering of the St. Louis BattleHawks vs. Dallas Renegades was the smallest of the four games with about 2.5 million viewers.

In 2001, the XFL drew 14 million viewers for a primetime opener, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

For reference, the AAF, another alternative pro league to the NFL, averaged 3.25 million viewers for its opening weekend in February 2019.

But both XFL and AAF opening weekend numbers pale in comparison to that of the NFL’s, which averaged 17 million viewers for its 2019 opening weekend.

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