The Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) 2025 Birmingham Major has recorded a significant viewership decrease.
The event, won by French esports organisation Karmine Corp, garnered 287,987 peak viewers, according to esports data platform Esports Charts. This is down from last year’s first Major in Copenhagen, which generated 435,503 peak viewers.
From March 27th-30th, the first Major of Rocket League’s 2025 esports season saw 16 teams compete for $351,000 (~£271,721) in prize money.
Despite a slightly longer air time of 33 hours, the Birmingham Major also garnered fewer watch hours (4.1m) and average viewers (121,687). 2024’s tournament recorded 4.9m and 159,854 in the same categories, respectively.
The most watched match at the Birmingham Major was the Grand Final between Karmine Corp and North American team The Ultimates.
Karmine Corp’s popularity was on show throughout the event, with the organisation generating 1m watch hours. In second place, The Ultimates accumulated 896,200 watch hours, followed by FURIA (849,500), NRG (771,600) and Team Vitality (751,400).
Interestingly, Birmingham’s top five matches in terms of audience numbers show little viewership differences. The second-most popular series was FURIA versus Karmine Corp, with 272,949 peak viewers. Meanwhile, the fifth most popular match between Team Falcons and Geekay Esports recorded 213,213 peak viewers.
How Does The Major Compare to Other RLCS Events?
Across all RLCS events, the Birmingham Major is the eighth most-watched competition in the league’s history. At the top is the 2022-23 World Championship, which peaked at 468,292 viewers. It is important to note that the 2024 Major 1 is second on the list.
With the recent Major concluded, the RLCS is preparing for the Raleigh Major from June 26th-29th. Like its predecessor, the event in North Carolina will feature 16 teams based on their regional RLCS ranking.
Throughout the season, teams can earn RLCS points to qualify for major tournaments and the annual Championship.
