The BCS has been setting all-time ratings records on FOX. Unfortunately, they are of the record low variety.
The 2008 Sugar Bowl, between Georgia and Hawaii, drew a 7.0/12 on New Year’s Day, down 25% from the ’07 Sugar Bowl, and down 17% from the game on the comparable date last year, the Fiesta Bowl between Boise State and Oklahoma. The 7.0 rating ties the ’08 Sugar Bowl with the ’07 Orange Bowl as the lowest rated BCS games of all time.
The Sugar Bowl was not the only BCS game to see sagging ratings. The Fiesta Bowl between West Virginia and Oklahoma drew a 7.7/13 on January 2, making the game the third lowest-rated BCS game ever, behind the Sugar Bowl, the ’07 Orange Bowl and the ’05 Fiesta Bowl. While the 7.7 rating marks an 8% drop from the 8.4 rating for last year’s Fiesta Bowl, the rating was good for a 10% jump from the game on the comparable night in ’07, the aforementioned Louisville/Wake Forest Orange Bowl.
Final national ratings for the Rose Bowl are not immediately available.
Three of the four lowest rated BCS games have aired on FOX, especially interesting when one considers that FOX has only aired seven BCS games.
Lowest rated BCS games.
7.0: 2008 Sugar Bowl, Georgia/Hawaii (1/1/08, 8:30 PM FOX)
7.0: 2007 Orange Bowl, Louisville/Wake Forest (1/2/07, 8 PM FOX)
7.4: 2005 Fiesta Bowl, Utah/Pittsburgh (1/3/05, 8 PM ABC)
7.7: 2008 Fiesta Bowl, Oklahoma/West Virginia (1/2/08, 8 PM FOX)
