NCAA Week 2: Fewer Viewers For ABC’s Rain-Drenched Regional Coverage

Posted by | 09/13/2012 at 9:10 pm

With rain delaying the featured game, ratings and viewership declined for regional college football coverage on ABC Saturday.

Regional college football action featuring USC/Syracuse or Air Force/Michigan drew a 3.3 final rating and 4.709 million viewers on ABC Saturday afternooon — down 15% in ratings and 23% in viewership from Alabama/Penn State last year (3.9, 6.083M), but up 38% and 23%, respectively, from Florida State/Oklahoma in 2010 (2.4, 3.838M).

The USC/Syracuse game was delayed for more than an hour due to inclement weather. During the delay, the entire country received the Air Force/Michigan game.

Despite the decline, the regional telecast was the highest rated and most-viewed college football window of week two.

Also Saturday, ABC’s Penn State/Virginia game drew a 2.0 and 2.817 million viewers. There was no comparable window last year.

(Saturday’s numbers from ESPN Media Zone, ESPN)

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  • Richard Fox

    One reason for the lower ratings is that ESPN is not putting the quality matchups in its ABC 3:30 PM regional broadcasts.  Years ago, they would normally have 4 regional telecasts, last year it was 3 telecasts, and so far this year only 2. It is a shame how ESPN is treating the once dominant ABC.