ESPN was down and Versus was up during the 2008 college football season.
During the 2008 season, ESPN and ESPN2 were far and away the highest rated, most viewed college football networks. ESPN averaged a 2.0 cable rating and 2.56 million viewers for 69 college football telecasts, down 5% and 3% from a 2.1 and 2.64 million for 67 games last year.
The top game on ESPN was Miami/Florida in September, which drew a 5.0 cable rating (4.3 U.S. area rating) and 6.9 million viewers.
Meanwhile, ESPN2 averaged a 1.1 cable rating and 1.4 million viewers for 63 college football games, flat in ratings and up slightly in viewership from a 1.1 with 1.3 million last year. For the sixth consecutive season, ESPN2 had its most-viewed year ever for college football coverage.
On Versus, 22 college football games averaged a 0.3 cable rating and 353,000 viewers, flat in ratings but up 17% in viewers from a 0.3 with 303,000 last year. Versus aired its two highest rated, most viewed college football games ever this season — Oregon/Oregon State, which drew a 1.2 cable rating and 1.6 million viewers on November 29, and USC/Stanford, which drew a 1.0 and 1 million viewers on November 15.
Finally, on FSN, 27 telecasts averaged a 0.6 cable rating and 650,000 viewers, down 25% and 13% from a 0.8 with 750,000 last year. FSN had the biggest decline in ratings of any college football rightsholder this season.
Ratings/viewership data from Sports Business Daily.
