The lone exception to a strong day for ESPN, the Cactus Bowl hit a multi-year viewership low.
Saturday’s West Virginia/Arizona State Cactus Bowl earned 3.7 million viewers on ESPN, down 8% from Oklahoma State/Washington last year (4.0M) and up 16% from Kansas State/Michigan in 2013 (4.4M). Ratings were not immediately available.
The Mountaineers’ win ranks as the least-watched Cactus Bowl in six years, since Iowa/Missouri in 2010 (3.6M). That was the game’s first year back on ESPN after four little-watched years on NFL Network. Viewership for the game has now dropped in four consecutive seasons.
The Cactus Bowl was the only game of Saturday’s bowl quadrupleheader to decline. The other three — the Gator, Liberty and Alamo — each increased by double (or triple) digits. It has plenty of company overall, however, as 21 of the 34 bowl telecasts on ESPN have dropped from last year.
Keep in mind the first hour of the game was preempted by the conclusion of the Alamo Bowl, which went to triple overtime.
(Sat. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
