Unexpected competition from the NFL resulted in significant declines for the Champs Sports Bowl, while a move from NFL Network to ESPN equaled humongous gains for the Insight Bowl.
The West Virginia/N.C. State Champs Sports Bowl earned a 2.1 U.S. rating and 3.256 million viewers on ESPN December 28, down 46% in ratings and 48% in viewership from last year (WISC/MIA: 3.9, 6.217 mil), and down 53% and 54%, respectively, from 2008 (WISC/FSU: 4.5, 7.059 mil).
Part of the game aired opposite a rescheduled Vikings/Eagles NFL telecast on NBC (13.8, 23.736 mil).
Earlier in the day, the Missouri/Iowa Insight Bowl drew a 2.2 U.S. rating and 3.558 million viewers, up a whopping 450% and 429%, respectively, from last year’s game on NFL Network (ISU/MIN: 0.4, 673,000).
For perspective, the Insight Bowl failed to draw even one million viewers in its last three years on NFL Network (viewership for the 2006 game on NFL Network was unavailable).
