The final edition of the Bowl Championship Series was the highest rated and most-viewed in four years.
ESPN averaged a 9.4 U.S. rating and 16.5 million viewers for the five-game BCS, up 7% in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year (8.8, 15.1M), up 10% and 15%, respectively, from 2012 (8.4, 14.1M), and the highest rated, most-viewed BCS since 2011 (9.6, 16.7M).
Four of the five BCS telecasts increased over last year, highlighted by the most-viewed Sugar Bowl in thirteen years and the most-viewed Orange Bowl in five. With that said, the Orange and Fiesta bowls ranked among the ten lowest rated, least-viewed games of the BCS era (1999-2014), and the Rose Bowl tied its second-lowest rating ever.
Compared to other sports, the 2014 BCS averaged a higher rating and more viewers than last year’s World Series (8.9, 14.9M), but trailed both the NBA Finals (10.5, 17.7M) and the NCAA Tournament Final Four (11.0, 18.3M*).
With the BCS now over, here are a couple of notes. The 2006 USC/Texas Rose Bowl was the highest rated and most-viewed game of the BCS era by a wide margin (21.7, 35.6M). On the other end of the spectrum, the 2012 West Virginia/Clemson Orange Bowl was easily the lowest rated and least-viewed (4.5, 7.2M).
Excluding BCS national title games, the highest rated BCS bowl was the 2004 USC/Michigan Rose Bowl (14.3) and the most-viewed was also a Rose Bowl — a tie between Ohio State/Oregon in 2010 and USC/Michigan in 2007 (24.0M). The top non-championship Fiesta Bowl was Ohio State/Notre Dame in 2006 (12.9, 20.6M), which aired in the traditional Rose Bowl slot of 4:30 PM New Year’s Day. The top Sugar Bowl was Miami/Florida in 2001 (13.0, 19.8M), and the top Orange Bowl was Penn State/Florida State in 2006 (12.3, 18.6M).
The lowest rated Rose (2013), Orange (2012), Sugar (2012) and Fiesta (2011) bowls of the BCS era each took place since ESPN began airing the games in 2011.
TV Ratings For Every BCS Game (1999-2014)
Viewership provided where available
|
Year
|
BCS Champ.
|
Rose
|
Fiesta
|
Sugar
|
Orange
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rtg.
|
Vwrs.
|
Rtg.
|
Vwrs.
|
Rtg.
|
Vwrs.
|
Rtg.
|
Vwrs.
|
Rtg.
|
Vwrs.
|
|
| 2014 |
14.8
|
26.06M
|
10.2
|
18.64M
|
6.6
|
11.24M
|
9.3
|
16.34M
|
6.7
|
11.40M
|
| 2013 |
15.1
|
26.38M
|
9.4
|
17.02M
|
7.4
|
12.31M
|
6.2
|
10.13M
|
6.1
|
10.56M
|
| 2012 |
14.0
|
24.21M
|
10.2
|
17.56M
|
8.4
|
13.68M
|
6.1
|
9.71M
|
4.5
|
7.17M
|
| 2011 |
15.3
|
27.32M
|
11.3
|
20.56M
|
6.2
|
10.82M
|
8.2
|
13.64M
|
6.7
|
10.68M
|
| 2010 |
17.2
|
30.78M
|
13.2
|
24.03M
|
8.2
|
13.82M
|
8.5
|
15.53M
|
6.8
|
10.88M
|
| 2009 |
15.8
|
26.77M
|
11.7
|
20.60M
|
10.4
|
17.06M
|
7.8
|
13.37M
|
5.4
|
9.32M
|
| 2008 |
14.4
|
23.07M
|
11.1
|
19.00M
|
7.7
|
12.16M
|
7.0
|
11.70M
|
7.4
|
11.96M
|
| 2007 |
17.4
|
28.80M
|
13.9
|
24.03M
|
8.4
|
13.78M
|
9.3
|
14.42M
|
7.0
|
10.66M
|
| 2006 |
Rose
|
21.7
|
35.63M
|
12.9
|
20.60M
|
9.0
|
13.59M
|
12.3
|
18.56M
|
|
| 2005 |
Orange
|
12.4
|
20.46M
|
7.4
|
12.22M
|
9.5
|
14.20M
|
13.7
|
21.42M
|
|
| 2004 |
Sugar
|
14.3
|
23.87M
|
8.5
|
13.69M
|
14.8
|
23.94M
|
9.1
|
14.18M
|
|
| 2003 |
Fiesta
|
11.3
|
18.30M
|
17.2
|
29.10M
|
9.2
|
15.11M
|
9.7
|
15.24M
|
|
| 2002 |
Rose
|
13.8
|
21.56M
|
11.3
|
18.23M
|
8.6
|
13.06M
|
9.5
|
14.03M
|
|
| 2001 |
Orange
|
14.0
|
N/A
|
10.7
|
17.48M
|
13.0
|
19.78M
|
17.8
|
27.24M
|
|
| 2000 |
Sugar
|
14.1
|
N/A
|
9.6
|
14.40M
|
17.5
|
26.96M
|
11.4
|
17.00M
|
|
| 1999 |
Fiesta
|
13.3
|
N/A
|
17.2
|
26.11M
|
11.5
|
N/A
|
8.4
|
N/A
|
|
* CBS Final Four averages unofficial.
(This year’s averages from ESPN Media Zone)
