Kentucky’s loss in the SEC Championship Game had a double-digit increase in ratings on ABC. Meanwhile, the Big Ten Championship Game was the highest rated conference championship game of the weekend on broadcast, and the Pac-12, Conference USA and Atlantic-10 title games each suffered declines.
- SEC Title Game Ratings Up Double-Digits: The March 11 Vanderbilt/Kentucky SEC Championship Game drew a 2.1 final rating and 3.172 million viewers on ABC, up 17% in ratings and 8% in viewership from last year (UK/UF: 1.8, 2.935M), but down 19% and 23%, respectively, from 2010 (UK/MISS ST: 2.6, 4.096M). The SEC Championship Game was the only conference championship game on broadcast to have an increase from last year.
- Big Ten Championship Game Leads the Way: CBS drew a 2.5 final rating and 3.722 million viewers for the Michigan State/Ohio State Big Ten Championship Game on March 11, flat in ratings and viewership compared to last year (OSU/PSU: 2.5, 3.735M), and up 9% and 8%, respectively, from 2010 (OSU/MIN: 2.3, 3.458M). The game was the highest rated and most-viewed conference championship game on broadcast.
- Declines For Pac-12, C-USA and A-10 Title Games: The March 10 Colorado/Arizona Pac-12 Championship Game drew a 1.4 final rating and 2.097 million viewers on CBS, down 18% in ratings and viewership from last year (WSH/ARI: 1.7, 2.572M), but up 8% in both measures from 2010 (CAL/WSH: 1.3, 1.940M). Elsewhere, the Memphis/Marshall Conference USA title game drew a 0.7 and 893,000 viewers, down 13% in ratings and 22% in viewership from last year (MEM/UTEP: 0.8, 1.139M), and the St. Bonaventure/Xavier Atlantic-10 title game drew a 0.6 and 929,000 — down 25% and 21%, respectively, from last year (RICH/DAY: 0.8 1.180M).
