BCS: No Record Low, But Alabama/LSU Lowest Rated Title Game Since ’05

The BCS National Championship Game avoided a record-low rating, but the numbers were still the worst in seven years.

The 2012 BCS National Championship Game, a 21-0 victory for #2 Alabama over #1 LSU, earned a 14.0 U.S. rating and 24.214 million viewers on ESPN Monday night, down 9% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (AUB/ORE: 15.3, 27.316M), and down 19% and 21%, respectively, from 2009 (ALA/TEX: 17.2, 30.776M, ABC).

The game ranks as the second-most viewed program in cable television history, behind only Auburn/Oregon last year. Three of the five most-viewed programs in cable history have been Bowl Championship Series telecasts on ESPN.

Though strong for cable, Monday’s game ranks as the lowest rated BCS National Championship Game since 2005 (USC/OKLA: 13.7, ABC) and the least-viewed since 2008 (LSU/OSU: 23.069M, FOX).

Overall, Alabama/LSU ranks as the third-lowest rated and fifth-least viewed BCS National Championship Game ever (14 telecasts). Considering the record low overnight, however, one imagines ESPN will be satisfied.

Excluding the NFL, Monday’s game ranks as the highest rated and most-viewed sporting event since Game 7 of the World Series last October (TEX/STL: 14.7, 25.403M).

Locally, Alabama’s win earned a 61.2 rating in Birmingham, down 9% from last year’s Auburn/Oregon game in the market (67.0), and down 9% from Alabama/Texas in 2010 (67.4).

In New Orleans, the game earned a 53.3 rating — not too far off the 56.3 the Saints/Colts Super Bowl earned in 2010.

Along with New Orleans, Monday’s game ranked as the highest rated ESPN bowl telecast ever in the Memphis (25.8), Greenville (24.5), Jacksonville (23.0), Austin (20.5), Greensboro (17.3), Orlando (16.6), Houston (16.2) and Providence (9.6) markets.

Ratings/Viewership For BCS National Championship Game
Past ten years

(This year’s numbers from ESPN)