New data reveals Manchester City demolished Manchester United’s total average viewership in the USA across 2023

Manchester City have handed rivals Manchester United a damaging blow in their bid to become the biggest club across the globe, with new figures emerging from the USA.

It is the latest development in the Etihad club and the wider City Football Group’s ongoing ambition and drive towards becoming both the biggest football club and footballing organisation on the planet.

Data from Deloitte also revealed earlier this year that Manchester City were the second-highest revenue-generating football club in the world, recording totals of €826 million and only behind Real Madrid’s €831 million.

Now, Manchester City’s rapid global expansion and continued increasing reach in the global game has been emphasised by staggering new figures emerging from the United States, showcasing the sizeable gap between Pep Guardiola’s side and their rivals in England.

That is according to brand new data from Nielsen, compiled by sports media analyst Larry Johnson and relayed by The Athletic, who reveal that Manchester City were the most-watched English team in all competitions in the U.S. throughout 2023.

The history-making Treble winners saw their total average viewership in the United States hit 36.9 million, with only Club America of Mexico’s top-flight Liga MX – whom City met during pre-season ahead of the 2022/23 campaign – above them in the table.

Emphasising the popularity of Pep Guardiola’s team in the USA, the data also reveals that Manchester United ended 2023 with a total average viewership of 13.4 million, finishing below Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Manchester City are widely expected to return to the USA this summer as part of their preparations for the 2024/25 campaign, and some in the game believe there are ongoing talks over a friendly clash with Premier League rivals Chelsea.

It follows on from the club’s last visit across the Atlantic ahead of their Treble-winning season, in which Pep Guardiola’s squad took on Bayern Munich and Club America in Green Bay and Houston respectively in front of sizeable audiences.

Last summer’s preparations saw Manchester City travel to Far-East Asia, playing out three matches against Yokohama F. Marinos, Bayern Munich, and Atletico Madrid in Japan and South Korea.