Despite a classic finish, last week’s BYU/Nebraska game hit a low on ABC. In other news, CBS scored the weekend’s top afternoon college football audience, and the premiere of college football on FOX pulled even with last year.
BYU/Nebraska Hits Low on ABC
- Last Saturday’s BYU/Nebraska college football game drew a 1.9 final rating and 3.1 million viewers on ABC, down 53% in ratings and 51% in viewership from regional action featuring West Virginia/Alabama last year (4.0, 6.4M) and down 21% and 15%, respectively, from additional regional coverage in 2013 (2.4, 3.7M). BYU’s Hail Mary victory ranks as ABC’s lowest rated opening weekend game since at least 2006, with the caveat that it faced increased competition from CBS. (ESPN)
CBS Tops Afternoon Charts For Early SEC Debut
- CBS earned 4.0 million viewers for last Saturday’s Louisville/Auburn game, its first opening weekend SEC telecast since USC/Auburn drew 4.1 million in 2003. Viewership declined 41% from the network’s season opener last year, Georgia/South Carolina in week three (6.8M). Even so, the telecast was the most-watched afternoon college football game of the weekend. (via Sports Business Daily)
FOX Pulls Even For CFB Opener
- The FOX broadcast network scored 1.4 million viewers for Virginia/UCLA last Saturday afternoon, even with Fresno State/USC in primetime last year. The Bruins’ win was easily the least-watched opening weekend game on broadcast. Over on Fox Sports 1, Mississippi State/Southern Miss drew 511,000 Saturday night and Purdue/Marshall 688,000 Sunday afternoon. (via Sports Business Daily, ShowBuzz Daily [1], [2])
