• by Wayne Friedman , David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, March 15, 2006

Facing new competition and trying to overcome a long layoff, HBO's "The Sopranos" took a hit Sunday.

The phenomenon's sixth-season premiere drew 9.5 million viewers--a 21 percent decline from March 7, 2004, the show's previous season premiere. Ratings in the adult 18-to-49 demo also fell, dropping 27 percent to a 4.5.

Although demo ratings are not a primary focus for HBO since the network is not ad-supported, they can provide an indication of a show's buzz and word-of-mouth popularity.

Factors for "The Sopranos" ratings falloffs could include direct competition from ABC's mega-hit "Desperate Housewives," the lengthy gap between seasons, and the rise of HBO On Demand and DVRs.

"The Sopranos" also failed to ignite the HBO series "Big Love," which premiered in the hour after it. The new drama about Utah polygamists couldn't hold even half "The Sopranos" audience--attracting only 4.6 million viewers. In the 18-to-49 demo, "Big Love" held on to only 49 percent of its lead-in audience.

Despite its lagging performance, "The Sopranos" was still the top cable show of the week by far, significantly outdrawing the season finale of VH1's "Flavor of Love."

When "The Sopranos" last premiered, its strongest competitor was NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." But since then, "Desperate Housewives" has emerged as a water-cooler favorite, much like "The Sopranos"--and is television's highest-rated show in the 18-to-49 demo after "American Idol."

While "Housewives" likely impacted "The Sopranos," the HBO drama, in turn, took a bite out of the ABC smash, although punishment was not equal. "Housewives" saw 18-49 ratings decline 10 percent on Sunday compared to its season-to-date average.

The long layoff between "Sopranos" seasons also may have caused some viewer apathy, although HBO did its best to thrust the show back into the limelight with a pricey promotional campaign.

HBO may also have contributed to the falloff itself through the increased adoption of its On Demand service since the last "Sopranos" season. The video-on-demand service allows viewers to watch episodes at their leisure, lessening the need for subscribers to watch the show in its broadcast window. Similarly, DVRs have grown in penetration since "Sopranos" season five.

HBO did not immediately return a call seeking comment.