College football’s Senior Bowl had a modest increase in viewership on NFL Network last week. In other news, brand name college basketball teams Indiana, Duke and North Carolina moved the needle on CBS and ESPN.
- Senior Bowl Up on NFL Network: College football’s Senior Bowl drew a 0.5 U.S. rating and 735,000 viewers on NFL Network last Saturday, flat in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (0.4, 662K), and down 17% and 16%, respectively, from 2011 (0.6, 874K). Compared to other college football All-Star games, the Senior Bowl outdrew the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on ESPN2 (0.4, 573K) and the East-West Shrine Game on NFL Network (0.2, 324K), both of which aired January 19. The Senior Bowl was the top telecast of the week on NFL Network. (Sat. numbers from Son of the Bronx)
- College Basketball Increases on CBS: CBS drew a 1.6 final rating for the Michigan State/Indiana men’s college basketball game last Sunday, up a tick from Michigan/Ohio State last year (1.5), and up 23% from Duke/St. John’s in 2011 (1.3). The game was the top college basketball telecast of the week on any network. The previous day, Maryland/Duke drew a 1.0 — up 43% from Texas/Baylor last year (0.7), and up a tick from regional action in 2011 (0.9). (Weekend numbers from Sports Business Daily)
- Mixed Numbers For College Hoops on ESPN: Last Saturday’s clash between North Carolina and North Carolina State drew a 1.1 U.S. rating and 1.8 million viewers on ESPN, up 83% in ratings and 129% in viewership from Washington/Arizona in the same window last year (0.6, 780K). Earlier in the day, Oklahoma/Kansas earned a 0.8 and 1.1 million viewers, flat in both measures compared to last year’s Georgetown/Pittsburgh game. Leading off ESPN’s coverage, the Noon ET Louisville/Georgetown game also drew a 0.8 and 1.1 million — down 11% and 7%, respectively, from St. John’s/Duke last year (0.9, 1.2M). (Sat. numbers from Son of the Bronx)
