USFL Losing Steam With Michigan Sports Bettors, TV Audience At Season’s Midpoint

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This week marks the USFL’s approach to the halfway mark of its regular season.

However, are Michigan sports bettors already losing interest in the league?

The league is currently lacking interest among bettors, as stated by oddsmakers. Is there a possibility of a rebound in the coming month?

USFL’s positive start fades quickly at Michigan sportsbooks

The USFL garnered significant interest, particularly in Michigan, sparking initial intrigue.

The Michigan Panthers, representing the state, attracted additional interest.

The Panthers’ season opener against the Houston Gamblers on April 17 received the highest number of bets among all USFL games in Michigan, according to Caesars Sportsbook MI. This game attracted 68% more wagers than any other USFL game throughout the season.

Nevertheless, the league’s betting activity has been declining and failing to significantly impact the nation.

Since April 16, the USFL has only represented 0.4% of all bets placed in Michigan according to Caesars.

According to PointsBet Sportsbook MI, the USFL is struggling to find a significant presence in the betting world, similar to WNBA betting. However, PointsBet noted that WNBA betting is on the rise, whereas the USFL’s betting trends are declining.

Although there is still some interest in USFL betting at BetMGM Michigan, it has significantly diminished compared to the current NBA and NHL playoffs.

Low betting numbers may be attributed to a lack of roster knowledge, unreliable injury reports, and trends, as suggested by sportsbooks.

USFL TV audience plateaus in recent weeks

The USFL has benefited greatly from dedicated exposure on prominent television networks.

Every game has been broadcasted live nationwide on a range of channels and streaming platforms offered by either FOX or NBC.

Both FOX and NBC aired the season opener on Saturday, April 16, in a collaborative simulcast. The highly anticipated game showcased the Birmingham Stallions against the New Jersey Generals.

The game, as reported by Programming Insider, attracted an average audience of 2.95 million viewers and achieved a 0.4 rating among the 18-49 demographic.

In the same vein, ABC’s broadcast of the NBA Playoffs garnered an average viewership of 2.76 million, earning a 0.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

The Michigan’s opening game against the Gamblers, which was broadcasted on NBC on April 17, garnered an audience of 2.153 million viewers and achieved a rating of 0.69.

In the subsequent weeks, ratings experienced a decline and then stabilized at a certain level.

• During Week 2, the Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh matchup on FOX garnered the highest viewership, with 1.056 million people tuning in on Saturday, April 23. This game received a rating of 0.34. On the other hand, the game between Michigan and New Jersey on April 22, which aired on USA, only attracted 363,000 viewers and received a rating of 0.12.
• On April 30, during Week 3, the match between Birmingham and New Orleans was televised on FOX, attracting a viewership of 1.144 million and receiving a rating of 0.22. The game between Michigan and Pittsburgh took place on May 1, aired on USA, and was watched by 292,000 viewers, achieving a rating of 0.05.
• The Houston vs. New Orleans game on NBC was the most-watched game of Week 4, attracting 1.159 million viewers. On Friday night, Michigan’s game against Philadelphia had 207,000 viewers and a rating of 0.04.

Similar trend to past leagues

As expected, the USFL seems to be emulating the pattern of previous leagues that attempted to establish themselves in the NFL’s offseason in recent years.

In 2020, the XFL made efforts to stage a comeback, but unfortunately, their plans were disrupted by the pandemic, resulting in a midseason derailment.

After attracting an impressive audience of 3.3 million viewers during its season premiere, the show’s viewership gradually declined, reaching an average of less than 1 million viewers by Week 5.

In 2019, the Alliance of American Football made an attempt to launch its inaugural season. However, the league encountered financial difficulties and ultimately filed for bankruptcy during the middle of its debut season.

The AAF kickoff game aired on CBS in February 2019 attracted an audience of 2.9 million viewers. However, by Week 4, the league’s viewership plummeted to an average of only 425,000 viewers while being broadcasted on the NFL Network.

Panthers off to slow start

The relaunch of the USFL gave Michigan football fans a few reasons to feel excited.

The Panthers were regarded as top contenders to win the league when the season began.

Despite this, the team has only won one out of their first four games. As a result, the Panthers are now considered one of the teams with the lowest chances of winning the inaugural championship.

Jeff Fisher’s team has the lowest defensive points allowed in the league so far (53), but they are only averaging 16.8 points per game on offense.

The league is increasingly concerned about the lack of offensive performance. In the opening week, oddsmakers set the expected total points for each game at around 43. However, as we approach Week 5, the projected total points have dropped significantly, reaching only 37.

The current league average for points scored per game is 38.1.

The Panthers may not generate much interest among football fans within the state, as all their games are played exclusively in Birmingham, Alabama. Besides their name, the team lacks any substantial connection to the state.

Due to this specific reason, the attendance figures across the league have been significantly low. Although the league’s kickoff game witnessed a turnout of over 17,000 spectators, recent matches barely attract any fans.

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