As should be no surprise given the timeslot, the Potato Bowl earned its smallest audience in eight years.
Tuesday’s Akron/Utah State Potato Bowl drew 1.1 million viewers on ESPN, down 26% from Air Force/Western Michigan last year (1.5M) and down 48% from San Diego State/Buffalo in 2013 (2.1M). Ratings were not immediately available.
The Zips’ win scored the smallest audience for the game in eight years — since Fresno State/Georgia Tech drew 745,000 in 2007. Over the past ten seasons, only the 2007 game had a smaller audience.
Keep in mind this year’s Potato Bowl aired in a weekday afternoon timeslot, compared to late Saturday afternoon each of the previous five seasons. The last time the game aired on a weekday afternoon, 2009, it had 3.0 million for Idaho/Bowling Green. Of course that was between Christmas and New Year’s, not exactly a traditional weekday.
(Tue. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
