Posted: Monday, October 1, 2012 10:59 am

Soccer News: Being: Liverpool Premiere Posts Impressive Audience on FOX

BEING: LIVERPOOL, the critically-acclaimed new series that gives viewers an intimate, backstage look at the inner workings of Liverpool FC, one of the world’s iconic soccer franchises, had an impressive premiere last Sunday afternoon on FOX.

FOX’s special broadcast premiere of BEING: LIVERPOOL delivered a strong 1.1/2 household rating/share, with an average audience of 1.6 million viewers on Sunday afternoon (9/16), +10% compared to last year’s 1.0/2 for a same-day encore airing of a Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea. The audience for BEING: LIVERPOOL peaked at 2.5 million in the 4:30-5:00 p.m. ET half-hour.

Several local markets posted ratings twice the national average or better for the FOX premiere of BEING: LIVERPOOL. New Orleans topped all with a 9.9, followed by Indianapolis (6.4) and Boston (4.0). Rounding out the top 10 were Providence (3.8), Greenville, SC (2.8), Greensboro, NC (2.7), Las Vegas (2.4), Birmingham (2.3), Milwaukee and New York (2.1).

The afternoon run of BEING: LIVERPOOL was so impressive that Sunday afternoon showings have now been added to the schedule going forward as the series shifts to its home on FOX Soccer. Beginning with episode two this Sunday, September 23, fittingly titled “On the Road,” since much of it is devoted to the club’s summer trip to North America, BEING: LIVERPOOL now airs weekly at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT, following the network’s Barclays Premier League coverage, with an encore showing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Now, every week fresh episodes wrap an action-packed day on FOX Soccer highlighted by live marquee matchups, this week between fierce rivals Liverpool and Manchester United (8:25 a.m. ET), followed by defending champion Manchester City hosting resurgent Arsenal (10:30 a.m. ET). The Liverpool vs. Manchester United contest also has an encore showing on FOX either before or after local NFL on FOX coverage (check local listings).

BEING: LIVERPOOL, a six-part series and the first effort by FOX Sports Originals, is narrated by Academy Award-nominee Clive Owen, and profiles one of the sport’s most successful and influential organizations, Liverpool FC. It literally takes viewers behind the proverbial curtain to watch veterans and young players alike as they interact with each other on the field and off, share time with their families and help a global football institution find its identity under new manager Brendan Rodgers.

“On The Road” shows Rodgers as he begins to rebuild the club from the inside out as they face Toronto FC in his first match as manager on the club’s North American tour. The club then faces AS Roma in the shadow of The Green Monster as Boston’s historic Fenway Park, a baseball chapel, is transformed into a soccer shrine. Viewers also see players take some time off for fun during their tour, while veterans Steven Gerrard and Andy Carrol return from playing with the England Men's National Team.

For more information regarding BEING: LIVERPOOL, please visit FOXSoccer.com/BeingLiverpool, Twitter.com/FOXSoccer and Facebook.com/FOXSoccer.

About 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.