Connect with your Facebook Account

Contact

5

College Football TV Ratings Increase

Posted by srr50 on December 29th, 2009 under Football

College football viewership was up across the board in 2009, with CBS and ESPN enjoying their best ratings in over a decade.

Overall, the networks carrying college football (ABC, CBS, ESPN, NBC, Versus) saw an average viewership of 3 million, up about 100,000 from the year before.

CBS saw its 15-game SEC lineup average right at 7 million viewers per telecast. That was one and a half million more viewers per game than the 2008 season. Meanwhile ABC saw a slight decline overall as they averaged 6.1 million viewers.

The SEC championship game was the most-watched college football game of the season. Just over 17.9 million viewers tuned in to watch Alabama dismantle Florida.


This years SEC Championship game is the highest rated in conference history.

Texas

As might be expected, the Big 12 Championship game is the second-highest rated college football game of the season behind the SEC Championship.


ABC had 12.7 million viewers for Texas’ last second win over Nebraska.

ABC’s highest rated prime-time game was the OU-Miami contest, which drew 7.8 million viewers., but it didn’t rank second to the Texas-Nebraska contest for viewership.


Texas 16-13 win over the Sooners drew 8.7 million viewers, despite having an early Saturday kickoff.

The September contest with Texas Tech drew 6.7 million viewers, while the Texas-Missouri game attracted 5.6 million viewers..

ESPN

ESPN averaged almost 2.9 million viewers for its 71 college football games, its highest average audience in 15 years. The early season matchup between USC and Ohio State was a huge ratings hit, garnering 10.6 million viewers for the WWL.


This years USC/Ohio State ranks as the most-viewed college football game ever on ESPN, regular season or postseason.

The Thanksgiving game against Texas A&M drew 6.7 million viewers for ESPN, easily the highest-rated Thursday night game of the year.


The Horns 49-39 win over A&M ranks as the third most-viewed college football game of the season on cable, behind only Miami/Florida State (8.4 mil) and USC/Ohio State (10.6 mil) on ESPN in September.

Notre Dame

Notre Dame’s $9 million check from NBC was a little easier to write for the Peacock Network this season. The Fighting Irish saw ratings increase for the second straight season, averaging 3.2 million viewers in 2009 — an increase of over 500,000 from 2008.

And when the Irish play on another network, they are still a top draw.


Michigan’s dramatic win over the Irish finished just behind Texas-OU with 8.3 million viewers.

The Notre Dame-Stanford game drew 7.2 million viewers in primetime for ABC, just behind the OU-Miami contest.

There were a few Saturdays when the networks went head-to-head with national broadcasts, and there were some interesting contrasts.

September 25
ABC Miami vs. Virginia Tech 6.1 million viewers
CBS Arkansas vs. Alabama 3.6 million viewers*
*Those who think Arkansas would be a good replacement/addition to the Big 12 may want to think again.

October 3
CBS LSU vs. Georgia 5.5 million viewers
NBC Washington vs. Notre Dame 4.4 million viewers

October 17
CBS Arkansas vs. Florida 6.8 million viewers
NBC USC vs. Notre Dame 6.4 million viewers *
*Texas-OU drew 8.7 million viewers earlier — lots of folks decided college football was worth staying in for that day.

October 24
ABC Penn State vs. Michigan 7.2 million viewers
CBS Tennessee vs. Alabama 5.7 million viewers*
*The Florida-Mississippi State contest drew 5.7 million viewers for ESPN that night, while 5.6 million viewers tuned in to Texas-Missouri.

November 14
ABC Iowa vs. Ohio State 6.7 million viewers
CBS Florida vs. South Carolina 6.3 million viewers

Which game was the lowest-rated national telecast this regular season?


The Nebraska-Colorado contest the day after Thanksgiving drew less than 2.4 million viewers.

More from this Barker


Share This

  • StumbleUpon

5 Responses

  1. Groundhog Day said:

    December 29th, 2009 at 5:00 pm

    Who said Tebow wasn’t the messiah?

  2. Mysterious Package said:

    December 29th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    “Texas 16-13 win over the Sooners drew 8.7 million viewers, despite having an early Saturday kickoff.”

    Why is TX/OU played at 11am if it would draw a bigger audience later in the day?

  3. One of the reasons it draws a big audience is because it is first in line–and there is no competition on the broadcast networks.

  4. These increased revenues aren’t exactly providing an impetus for getting a playoff in place.

  5. you are good mark ingerm and you are fast

Leave a Reply

Related Articles

Activity

  • Sailor Ripley commented on the blog post Nike U in Turmoil   2 minutes ago

    Aren’t the building some sort of super duper hoops arena? Most expensive ever bilt or something?

    Who will the get? Mark Few?

  • srr50 wrote a new blog post: Nike U in Turmoil   18 minutes ago

    10 weeks ago, Oregon played in the Rose Bowl as Pac 10 champions. Since their loss to Ohio State, the program has been in some kind of bizzaro parallel universe where every headline concerns a player arrest, a firing, or now a resignation.

    Mike Bellotti, the Duck AD and former head coach earlier this week

  • Luke commented on the blog post First Round: Clemson Tigers   2 hours, 30 minutes ago

    Prescient comment, Doc.

    I think we learned today that no team is really a mirror image of Missouri, even if Clemson is about as close as it gets. Unless you have significantly better/more talented athletes, if you try to run with the Tigers, you will lose. This team is so much fun to watch in games

  • srr50 commented on the blog post March Madness Open Thread Part Deaux   2 hours, 44 minutes ago

    Good to see that Tom Penders still believes in the weave offense. Maryland finally figured out that if you pass quickly, the middle is always open.

    37-29 Maryland late in the first half.

  • Luke wrote a new blog post: Previewing Jimmer and the Cougars   2 hours, 45 minutes ago

    Kansas State is going to be under a lot of pressure tomorrow night in primetime at the Ford Center.

    Not only are the Wildcats the favored #2 seed going against #7 seed BYU, but if the Wildcats lose, they may sentence hundreds of boys to nonstop harassment from all the kids who think that “Jimmer” was

    SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });

  • Ibas water bottle wrote a new blog post: Georgia Tech post mortem   2 hours, 57 minutes ago

    We came up short.

    Credit to Georgia Tech they worked the ball inside where they had the advantage and played great D on the perimeter. Matt Pilgrim is the most athletic big man we’ve had in years around here and he was irrelevant. When we tried to drive they collapsed like Chris Farley on a

    SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });

  • Phenomenal Smith commented on the blog post First Round: Clemson Tigers   3 hours, 32 minutes ago

    Doc, the turnovers seemed to do the trick – there were great big chunks of time when Mizzou didn’t even have to get into a half court offense.

    Great to see Ramsey have such a good game and pretty stifle Booker. As Euclid said during the game, even when Mizzou doesn’t play well

  • dick commented on the blog post Barnes worst team   4 hours, 12 minutes ago

    “Also because those other teams gave great effort almost every game. This team’s effort was questionable. Dumb and lazy, not a good combo…..”

    This is what made this season so bizarre for me. This has never been a problem for Barnes’ teams. But I actually questioned this team’s heart and desire to play together

  • srr50 commented on the blog post March Madness Open Thread Part Deaux   4 hours, 25 minutes ago

    Travis Ford spent the 2nd half channeling his inner Rick Barnes — lot’s of standing around on offense while one player tries to generate something off a ball screen — then taking a forced shot.

    So the Big 12 goes 5-2 in Round One.

  • skymonkeyhorn commented on the blog post Barnes worst team   4 hours, 30 minutes ago

    This is the worst coached team ever in Barnes era. Period.
    Worst defense over the whole season,
    Offense sucked big time and the bench coaching was horrible, ransom’s attitude was better then the coach’s overall this season.
    Trips write up pre and post better then the game plan and O schemes.
    Hell we could have

  • srr50 commented on the blog post March Madness Open Thread Part Deaux   4 hours, 34 minutes ago

    advertisers think they will probably get some deals for the additional 32 games that would be added. The feeling is that an ESPN would disount rates somewhat, since they already have a dual revenue stream — advertising dollars and subscription fees.

    It’s all about content for ESPN — even mediocre content.

  • dick commented on the blog post FLV March Madness First Round Bets   4 hours, 36 minutes ago

    a great first round of the tournament from an excitement standpoint, very mediocre from a gambling standpoint.

  • srr50 commented on the blog post March Madness Open Thread Part Deaux   4 hours, 51 minutes ago

    Ga. Tech — last in the ACC in free throw shooting at 64% — 13 for 13 tonight.

  • srr50 commented on the blog post March Madness Open Thread Part Deaux   5 hours, 1 minute ago

    A poll of media buyers from the major agencies overhwhelmingly showed that advertisers believe that the NCAA will expand, and the tournament will join the BCS on ESPN.

  • whiskey wrote a new blog post: The week in news- Pariahs, Malcontents and Power Hour   5 hours, 4 minutes ago

    In the midst of March Madness, St. Patrick’s Day, house guests, nice weather outside and a host of other distractions I still managed to come across quite a few interesting college football stories this week. Here we go.

    Mike Leach and Craig James were apparently in the same room this week and nobody wrestled.  Bummer.  Leach

    SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });

  • srr50 commented on the blog post March Madness Open Thread Part Deaux   5 hours, 15 minutes ago

    Anderson finds out what going to the paint is like when there is a big who knows how to defend the low block.

  • srr50 wrote a new blog post: March Madness Open Thread Part Deaux   5 hours, 25 minutes ago

    So far on Day Two, no buzzer beaters, but there was the obligatory #12 over #5 with Cornell thumping Temple 78-65, but the Ivy League school was everyone’s “inside” pick for an upset. Still the day hasn’t come close to generating the action that Thursday had.

    Today
    #5 Texas A&M 69 #12

  • Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post Barnes worst team   5 hours, 50 minutes ago

    I wasn’t trying to say they quit. They just didn’t play hard a lot of the time. Lazy = lack of effort. Example, our transition defense was about 75% effort and 25% stupidity. We loafed down court a lot. The kids didn’t like to lose so they would fight back,

  • Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post Barnes worst team   7 hours, 23 minutes ago

    This the most disappointing team because our talent level is higher than those others.

    The DGib/Buckman team was the least talented, barely, after the injury to LaMarcus and Tucker’s suspension.

    Last year’s team was the hardest to watch. Just watching AJ Abrams, who I don’t hate as much as most, run around like a

  • uthookem commented on the blog post Barnes worst team   7 hours, 29 minutes ago

    Agreed on Damo being my favorite Longhorn basketball player, I wish him all the best.

    This was definitely the worst, by far.

  • Trips Right commented on the blog post Texas Hoops vs. Wake Forest: Post Mortem   8 hours, 42 minutes ago

    Don’t have time to address each and every comment now, but I wanted to say thanks to everyone for contributing to the site this season. It’s made it a lot of fun to follow a team that’s tough to watch at times.

    Also, I wanted to thank you for the kind words as

  • Hiphopopotamus commented on the blog post Big Dance: Day Two   8 hours, 43 minutes ago

    And that’s all she wrote…relatively boring day so far. A&M out to a nice early lead.

    SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });

  • Art Vandelay commented on the blog post Texas Hoops vs. Wake Forest: Post Mortem   8 hours, 46 minutes ago

    Trips,

    Great work all year long. Love the passion. The fact that you kept writing these (even around the birth of a child), is fantastic, shows your commitment, and is a little freaky. :-)

    I think you showed great restraint in this post. It would have been easier to “go off” on Barnes.

  • ghostofagroundgame commented on the blog post Barnes worst team   8 hours, 47 minutes ago

    Second awesomest thing — Magnus gets his woman to go to Hooters with him.

  • Hiphopopotamus commented on the blog post Big Dance: Day Two   8 hours, 54 minutes ago

    Missouri going to hang on…

    Sconsin clinging to a 2 point cushion

    SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });

  • BrickHorn commented on the blog post Barnes worst team   9 hours, 7 minutes ago

    Are there any women who are not skanks at any place on 1960?

  • Hiphopopotamus commented on the blog post Big Dance: Day Two   9 hours, 8 minutes ago

    Make that a 1 point Wofford lead with 4+ to play…

    SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });

  • Hiphopopotamus commented on the blog post Big Dance: Day Two   9 hours, 14 minutes ago

    Pitt rolling Oakland.

    Purdue holds on against Siena…I missed it in my bracket, but I’m actually happy for them.

    Missouri pulling away from Clemson (68-60) with 7 to play…knew I should have never bet on Oliver Purnell, even if it was against this Missouri team.

    Amazingly, game of the day so far might be Wisco/Wofford – 2

    SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });

  • ghostofagroundgame commented on the blog post Barnes worst team   9 hours, 18 minutes ago

    I ain’t talking about the girls Brick.

  • BrickHorn commented on the blog post Barnes worst team   9 hours, 20 minutes ago

    The girls don’t wear jorts at Hooters. They dress like Richard Simmons.