A move from broadcast to cable sank viewership college football’s Bayou Classic. In other news, ESPN scored another increase for the College Football Playoff rankings, and the Rangers/Islanders rivalry held steady on NBCSN.
Bayou Classic Viewership Down Big
- Last Saturday’s Grambling/Southern Bayou Classic college football game scored just 150,000 viewers on NBCSN, down 85% from last year (1.0M) and down 76% from 2013 (620K), both of which aired on the NBC broadcast network. The game aired on NBCSN this year for the first time after a 23-year run on NBC. (via Awful Announcing)
CFP Rankings Show Up Again
- The latest release of the College Football Playoff rankings attracted 1.1 million viewers on ESPN, up 59% from the fifth telecast last year (699K). Viewership has increased for four of the five rankings shows, with the last three up by more than 50%. (via ShowBuzz Daily)
NBCSN’s Rangers/Islanders on Par With Last Year
- Wednesday’s Rangers/Islanders NHL regular season game drew a 0.4 final rating and 550,000 viewers on NBCSN, flat in ratings and down less than one percent in viewership from Blues/Blackhawks last year (0.4, 551K). It had a 2.9 rating in New York, the market’s best for an indoor regular season game on NBCSN. On Tuesday, Wild/Blackhawks had 304,000 and Penguins/Sharks 202,000 — up 20% and 9%, respectively, from last year’s doubleheader of Lightning/Sabres (253K) and Flyers/Sharks (186K). Finally, Blackhawks/Ducks drew 214,000 in a new Black Friday window. (via TVMI, Twitter, ShowBuzz)
