Ratings declined for both games of last week’s college football doubleheader on ABC, with Saturday Night Football dipping below 3.0 for the second straight week.
Saturday Night Football, featuring Oklahoma State/Texas in 61% of TV markets, earned a 2.9 final rating and 4.651 million viewers on ABC last week, down 22% in ratings and viewership from last year (ND/PIT*: 3.7, 5.972 mil), and down 45% in both compared to 2008 (OKST/TTU*: 5.3, 8.483 mil).
This marks the third time this season that Saturday Night Football has attracted less than 3% of U.S. television households. For some perspective, that happened just once last season.
ABC fared better earlier in the day, as regional action featuring Penn State/Ohio State in 69% of TV markets earned a 4.0 final rating — down 7% from last year (IOWA/OSU*: 4.3), and down 9% from 2008 (PSU/IOWA*: 4.4).
Viewership for the telecast was not immediately available.
Despite the decline, the 4.0 rating is the second-highest of the season for an afternoon college football telecast on ABC.
(pifeedback.com; Sports Business Daily)
