College football’s Gasparilla Bowl topped the sports ratings charts for Friday, December 22.
The Georgia Tech-UCF Gasparilla Bowl was the most-watched sporting event of December 22, averaging a 1.3 rating and 2.35 million viewers on ESPN — down 30% in ratings and 34% in viewership from Wake Forest-Missouri on the same night and time last year (1.8, 3.54M). The Yellow Jackets’ win nonetheless delivered the largest bowl audience on cable (as of December 23). It was the least-watched Gasparilla Bowl since 2019 (UCF-Marshall: 1.15M).
Airing immediately afterward, a Wizards-Warriors NBA regular season game averaged a 0.8 and 1.43 million, down a tick and 12% respectively from Nuggets-Lakers on the equivalent night of last season (0.9, 1.61M). As one would expect given the presence of the Wizards, it was the least-watched Warriors game on ESPN or TNT this season.
In other basketball action, the Illinois-Missouri “Braggin’ Rights” game averaged a 0.23 and 450,000 on FS1. Last year’s matchup aired on SEC Network, which is not Nielsen-rated. Airing in the same window, Maryland-UCLA averaged a 0.15 and 258,000 on ESPN2. In the Diamond Head Classic, Nevada-TCU drew a 0.12 and 203,000, Georgia Tech-Hawaii a 0.11 and 165,000 and UMass-Portland (1:30 AM ET start) a 0.02 and 43,000, all on ESPN2.
Returning to the NBA, Nuggets-Nets averaged a 0.20 and 365,000 on NBA TV. The final of the NBA G-League Winter Showcase (Westchester-Indiana) averaged a 0.04 and 72,000 on ESPN2.
In the Premier League, Sheffield-Aston Villa averaged a 0.18 and 336,000 on USA Network.
Friday, December 22 sports ratings
