The New Year’s Eve Chick-Fil-A Bowl scored ESPN’s best non-BCS numbers of the bowl season.
Florida State’s win over South Carolina earned a 4.3 U.S. rating and 7.492 million viewers on ESPN December 31, up a tick in ratings and virtually even in viewership compared to last year (VT/TEN: 4.2, 7.513 mil), and up 27% and 33%, respectively, from 2008 (LSU/GT: 3.4, 5.635 mil).
The Chick-Fil-A Bowl ranks as the most-viewed non-BCS bowl on cable through January 2.
Additionally, according to a Chick-Fil-A Bowl press release, the game ranks as the fifth-most viewed non-BCS bowl game ever on ESPN.
Earlier in the day, the UCF/Georgia Liberty Bowl drew a 3.0 and 4.755 million viewers, down 21% in ratings and 26% in viewership from the previous season (ARK/ECU: 3.8, 6.449 mil), but up 30% and 32%, respectively, from 2008 (UK/ECU: 2.3, 3.607 mil).
(Ratings/viewership from Sports Business Daily; Chick-Fil-A Bowl press release from Orlando Sentinel)
