While moving from Sunday to Saturday night is usually bad for ratings, the move benefited this year’s New Orleans Bowl, which was finally free from NFL competition.
ESPN drew a 1.3 U.S. rating and 2.096 million viewers for the Ohio/Troy New Orleans Bowl Saturday night, up 86% in ratings and 111% in viewership from last year (0.7, 993,000), and up 86% and 88%, respectively, from 2008 (MTU/USM: 0.7, 1.115 mil).
The game ranks as the most-viewed New Orleans Bowl since 2007 (FAU/MEM: 1.561 mil, ESPN2).
Not coincidentally, the 2007 game was the last New Orleans Bowl until this year that did not air on a Sunday night. Both the 2008 and 2009 games aired directly opposite NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
Saturday’s game was the only bowl game on ESPN Saturday to avoid a decline in ratings and viewership. That said, it also drew easily the smallest audience.
For New Mexico Bowl ratings, click here. For Humanitarian Bowl ratings, click here.
