Speed will roll into the ’13 NASCAR season distributed in 86.6 million U.S. TV homes, marking a record for the network. The channel, which is set to be rebranded as Fox Sports 1 this summer, had a previous record of 82.1 million homes set in April ’12. The net then saw seven months of declines in distribution, but has been seeing gains since February. MLB Network also will begin Spring Training in a record 70.7 million homes, up from 67.9 million homes in February '12. This marks the third straight month MLB Net has seen record distribution. Also seeing all-time highs in distribution this month are ESPNews, ESPNU, NFL Network, NBATV, Fox Soccer, Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel. Listed below are the top 10 cable networks in terms of U.S. distribution for February, with comparisons to the same period in recent years. Also listed are figures for networks with significant sports content.
|
CABLE NETWORK DISTRIBUTION IN THE U.S. FOR FEBRUARY
|
| NETWORK |
'06 (000)
|
'11 (000)
|
'12 (000)
|
'13 (000)
|
| Weather Channel |
89,698
|
100,668
|
99,889
|
100,129
|
| Food Network |
88,305
|
100,195
|
99,510
|
99,837
|
| TBS |
89,645
|
101,033
|
99,816
|
99,829
|
| Nickelodeon/Nick-at-Nite |
89,714
|
100,400
|
100,202
|
99,506
|
| Discovery Channel |
90,446
|
100,653
|
99,488
|
99,459
|
| USA |
89,929
|
100,121
|
99,169
|
99,304
|
| CNN |
90,119
|
100,186
|
99,076
|
99,265
|
| Cartoon Network/Adult Swim |
88,815
|
99,371
|
98,896
|
99,181
|
| A&E |
89,642
|
99,950
|
98,873
|
99,080
|
| Lifetime |
81,123
|
99,787
|
98,876
|
99,040
|
| ESPN |
90,280
|
100,002
|
98,979
|
98,761
|
| ESPN2 |
89,540
|
99,904
|
98,862
|
98,706
|
| Spike |
89,781
|
99,601
|
98,674
|
98,217
|
| FX |
88,136
|
96,047
|
97,964
|
98,131
|
| Speed |
65,059
|
77,932
|
79,360
|
86,585
|
| Golf Channel |
67,930
|
83,509
|
84,656
|
83,714
|
| NBC Sports Network |
63,173
|
75,715
|
76,296
|
77,967
|
| ESPNews |
46,261
|
73,454
|
74,244
|
75,008
|
| ESPNU |
n/a
|
72,550
|
72,548
|
74,333
|
| MLB Network |
n/a
|
55,316
|
67,933
|
70,722
|
| NFL Network |
n/a
|
56,895
|
59,237
|
70,124
|
| NBATV |
n/a
|
54,808
|
59,152
|
60,982
|
| Fox Soccer |
n/a
|
38,616
|
40,895
|
49,028
|
| Outdoor Channel |
25,864
|
34,717
|
36,584
|
39,151
|
| Fuel TV |
n/a
|
n/a
|
36,546
|
37,600
|
| Sportsman Channel |
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
31,542
|
| ESPN Classic |
58,881
|
37,649
|
32,612
|
31,446
|
NOTES: Figures not available for nets that do not subscribe to regular Nielsen ratings, including Pac-12 Networks, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, Fox College Sports, Longhorn Network, NHL Network, Tennis Channel and Universal Sports.
