While CBS and ESPN set records, ABC saw declines for its college football coverage during the 2009 season.
ABC averaged a 3.9/8 rating and 6.1 million viewers for college football coverage during the 2009 season, down 3% in ratings and viewership from a 4.0 and 6.3 million last year. Compared to ’07, ratings were even and viewership was up 4%.
For the season, ABC ranked as the second-highest rated, second-most viewed college football broadcaster, behind CBS.
The network’s highest rated, most-viewed game was the Big 12 Championship Game, which drew a 7.5 rating and 12.7 million viewers.
The lowest rated game of the season was Nebraska/Colorado on the day after Thanksgiving, which drew a 1.7 rating.
Ratings/viewership for college football games on ABC during the 2009 season
| Date | Time | Featured game | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., 9/5/09 | 3:30 PM | Georgia/Oklahoma St. | ABC |
3.5
|
5,609
|
| 8 PM | Alabama/Virginia Tech | ABC |
4.2
|
7,081
|
|
| Sat., 9/12/09 | 3:30 PM | Michigan/Notre Dame | ABC |
5.2
|
8,391
|
| Sat., 9/19/09 | 3:30 PM | USC/Washington | ABC |
3.1
|
4,754
|
| 8 PM | Texas Tech/Texas | ABC |
4.1
|
6,673
|
|
| Sat., 9/26/09 | 3:30 PM | Miami/Virginia Tech | ABC |
3.9
|
6,114
|
| 8 PM | Iowa/Penn State | ABC |
4.0
|
6,387
|
|
| Sat., 10/3/09 | 3:30 PM | Florida St./Boston College | ABC |
2.6
|
3,853
|
| 8 PM | Oklahoma/Miami | ABC |
4.8
|
7,834
|
|
| Sat., 10/10/09 | 3:30 PM | Wisconsin/Ohio State | ABC |
4.2
|
6,373
|
| 8 PM | Michigan/Iowa | ABC |
2.8
|
4,584
|
|
| Sat., 10/17/09 | 12 PM | Oklahoma/Texas | ABC |
5.7
|
8,713
|
| 4 PM | Minnesota/Penn St. | ABC |
3.2
|
n/a
|
|
| Sat., 10/24/09 | 3:30 PM | Penn St./Michigan | ABC |
4.5
|
7,243
|
| 8 PM | Texas/Missouri or Oregon/USC | ABC |
3.4
|
5,588
|
|
| Sat., 10/31/09 | 3:30 PM | Miami/Wake Forest | ABC |
3.2
|
4,781
|
| 8 PM | USC/Oregon or Texas/Ok. St. | ABC |
4.2
|
6,833
|
|
| Sat., 11/7/09 | 3:30 PM | Ohio St./Penn St. | ABC |
3.7
|
5,863
|
| 8 PM | Connecticut/Cincinnati | ABC |
3.6
|
5,993
|
|
| Sat., 11/14/09 | 3:30 PM | Iowa/Ohio St. | ABC |
4.3
|
6,738
|
| 8 PM | Notre Dame/Pittsburgh | ABC |
3.7
|
5,972
|
|
| Sat., 11/21/09 | 12 PM | Ohio St./Michigan | ABC |
4.2
|
6,773
|
| 3:30 PM | Penn St./Mich. St. | ABC |
3.0
|
4,602
|
|
| 8 PM | Oregon/Arizona | ABC |
3.8
|
6,094
|
|
| Fri., 11/27/09 | 12 PM | Illinois/Cincinnati | ABC |
2.2
|
n/a
|
| 3:30 PM | Nebraska/Colorado | ABC |
1.7
|
n/a
|
|
| Sat., 11/28/09 | 3:30 PM | Miami/South Florida | ABC |
2.7
|
n/a
|
| 8 PM | Notre Dame/Stanford | ABC |
4.5
|
7,184
|
|
| Sat., 12/5/09 | 12 PM | Cincinnati/Pittsburgh | ABC |
4.7
|
6,741
|
| 3:30 PM | Arizona/USC | ABC |
2.2
|
3,180
|
|
| 8 PM | Texas/Nebraska | ABC |
7.6
|
12,693
|
