Rose Bowl Up 10%, FOX BCS Games Up 13% (12% Overall) January 9, 2009 5:16 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in BCS National Championship Game, Broadcast TV Ratings, College Football, Nielsen TV Ratings, Sports, Television.add a comment
With the College Football season, and therefore Bowl season, over, it’s time to take a quick look at how the ratings turned out for this year’s set of major games: Rose Bowl; Orange Bowl; Sugar Bowl; Fiesta Bowl and the National Championship.
Here’s how the respective telecast’s this year stack up to last season (numbers in parenthesis for the 2009 numbers indicate the change from the year prior–red represents a decrease, green represents an increase):
Rose Bowl (ABC)
- 2009: Penn State vs. USC – 1/1/2009
- Households – 11.7/21 (+6%)
- Viewers – 20.60M (+10%/+1.85M)
- Adults 18-49 – 6.5/20 (+3%)
- 2008: Illinois vs. USC – 1/1/2008
- Households – 11.0/19
- Viewers – 18.75M
- Adults 18-49 – 6.3/18
Orange Bowl (FOX)
- 2009: Cincinnatti vs. Virginia Tech – 1/1/2009
- Households – 5.4/9 (-27%)
- Viewers – 9.32M (-22%/-2.64M)
- Adults 18-49 – 3.0/8 (-30%)
- 2008: Kansas vs. Virginia Tech – 1/3/2008
- Households – 7.4/12
- Viewers – 11.96M
- Adults 18-49 – 4.3/12
Sugar Bowl (FOX)
- 2009: Alabama vs. Utah – 1/2/2009
- Households – 7.8/13 (+11%)
- Viewers – 13.37M (+14%/+1.67M)
- Adults 18-49 – 4.3/12 (-9%)
- 2008: Hawaii vs. Georgia – 1/1/2008
- Households – 7.0/12
- Viewers – 11.70M
- Adults 18-49 – 4.7/12
Fiesta Bowl (FOX)
- 2009: Texas vs. Ohio State – 1/5/2009
- Households – 10.4/17 (+35%)
- Viewers – 17.06M (+40%/+4.90M)
- Adults 18-49 – 6.0/16 (+36%)
- 2008: West Virginia vs. Oklahoma – 1/2/2008
- Households – 7.7/13
- Viewers – 12.16M
- Adults 18-49 – 4.4/12
BCS National Championship (FOX)
- 2009: Florida vs. Oklahoma – 1/8/2009
- Households – 15.8/25 (+10%)
- Viewers – 26.77M (+16%/+3.70M)
- Adults 18-49 – 9.5/25 (+16%)
- 2008: LSU vs. Ohio State – 1/7/2008
- Households – 14.4/22
- Viewers – 23.07M
- Adults 18-49 – 8.2/21
Overall, the four BCS games on Fox and the Rose Bowl on ABC averaged the following numbers this year: 10.2/17 HH rating/share, 17.42M viewers, 5.9/16 A18-49 rating/share. In 2008, the same five games averaged the following numbers: 9.5/16 HH rating/share, 15.53M viewers, 5.6/15 A18-49 rating/share. That represents a change of 8% among households, 12%/1.90M among viewers and 5% among adults 18-49.
If you’re interested in separating out the Rose Bowl from the four BCS bowls, here’s the average, and comparison, of the four FOX BCS games:
- Households – 9.1/15 to 9.9/15 (+9%)
- Viewers – 14.72M to 16.60M (+13%/+1.88M)
- Adults 18-49 – 5.4/14 to 5.7/15 (+6%)
As you can see, despite the weak performance of this year’s Orange Bowl and the slight decrease among adults 18-49 for the Sugar Bowl, FOX still saw a solid increase in viewership over the year prior.
While I wish we could get a playoff system in college football, the sport remains very strong, as is evidenced by the ratings above. Then again, it’s hard to imagine interest wouldn’t grow even more if there was a playoff system. Is there really anyone out there that wouldn’t want to see a matchup between the Gators and Trojans (or even Utah, who afterall did go undefeated)?
NBC and Notre Dame Renew Sports Pact June 23, 2008 3:41 am
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in College Football, NBC, News, Sports, Television.add a comment
The University of Notre Dame and NBC Sports have signed a new five-year agreement which will keep Fighting Irish football games on NBC through 2015. Though terms were not disclosed, the previous five-year deal with Notre Dame cost NBC $45 million. With the new deal in place, it brings relationship between the network and college to 25 years, going back to 1991. Quite telling that NBC was so committed to renewing their deal, despite the fact that Notre Dame is coming off their worst record ever (3-9) in 2007. The full press release follows after the jump.
Dish Joins DirecTV in Offering Big Ten Network September 7, 2007 5:20 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in Big Ten Network, Cable, College Football, News, Sports.add a comment
Missing out on that amazing Michigan/Appalachian State game last week may have pushed DISH to expediate their pick-up of the Big Ten Network. The satellite provider today announced that the station has been added to their lineup of networks.
Big 10 Network Kicks Off Thursday, But Few Able to Watch August 29, 2007 2:57 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in College Football, DirecTV, News, Sports, Television, The Big 10 Network.add a comment
The new Big 10 Network will telecast its first game tomorrow (Thursday, August 30), but with only one major provider carrying the network (DirecTV), and no major cable operator signed up yet, many fans will not be able to watch coverage of their favorite college teams.
ABC Renews “Saturday Night College Football” May 2, 2007 7:12 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in ABC, College Football, News, Sports, Television.add a comment
Saturday Night Football is returning to ABC. The series of college football games will debut on September 1 with the matchup of Tennessee at California and run for 12 weeks.
Florida Gators dismantle the Ohio State Buckeyes January 9, 2007 1:00 am
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in BCS, College Football, News, Sports, Television.2 comments
Those questioning whether or not the Florida Gators belonged in the BCS Championship game with the Buckeyes have been silenced.
The Gators handedly defeated the Buckeyes 41-14 in the championship game. It took an entire half just for the defense of the Buckeyes to adjust to the offensive onslought, while their offense never truely seemed to be in the game once Ginn (who opened the matchup with a 93 yard Kickoff return for TD) was sidelined with an injury. (more…)
It’s Ohio State/Florida for the National Title. BCS Selections Announced December 3, 2006 9:51 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in BCS, College Football, News, Sports.add a comment
The BCS standings have been released and the championship title game will be played between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Florida Gators.
The Gators barely nudged by the Wolverines for the #2 spot with both teams scoring a .940 in the computer rankings, and Florida leading Michigan in the Harris Interactive Poll (.945 to .931) and the USA Today Coaches’ Poll (.948 to .932).
Here are the official bowl game selections:
- AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic (Jan. 1, 11:30 AM EST on Fox HD):
- #9 Auburn vs. #23 Nebraska
- Rose Bowl (Jan. 1, 5:00 PM EST on ABC HD)
- #3 Michigan vs. #5 USC
- Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 1, 8:00 PM EST on Fox HD)
- #8 Boise State vs. #10 Oklahoma
- FedEx Orange Bowl (Jan. 2, 7:30 PM EST on Fox HD)
- #6 Louisville vs. #14 Wake Forest
- Allstate Sugar Bowl (Jan. 3, 7:30 PM EST on Fox HD)
- #4 LSU vs. #11 Notre Dame
- Tostitos BCS National Championship (Jan. 8, 7:30 PM EST on Fox HD)
- #1 Ohio State vs. #2 Florida
For a great up-to-date listing of all the games during bowl season check out this post at the Hot Off The Press! thread over at AVS Forum.
Continue reading for the final BCS standings.
Florida moves past Michigan for the #2 spot in the AP and Coaches Top 25 polls December 3, 2006 4:20 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in College Football, News, Sports, Television.2 comments
The Associated Press is reporting that Florida has passed Michigan to take the #2 spot in the AP Top 25 and the USA Today Top 25 Coaches poll.
After the USC loss last night, the final spot in the BCS Championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes will be between the Michigan Wolverines and the Florida Gators.
Ohio State’s coach Tressel abstained this week in his voting in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
“We are excited to play in the BCS title game against a tremendous opponent,” he said in a statement. “After consultation with my director of athletics, Gene Smith, and based upon our unique position in the BCS standings, I believe it is only fair that we not participate the final poll.”
With the movement of Florida into the final spot it is expected that Florida will be the #2 team in the final BCS poll, which will be released later today.
Continue reading to see the complete AP Top 25 and USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll.
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