NBC’s Notre Dame coverage got off to a less-than-impressive start last weekend.
Saturday’s Purdue/Notre Dame college football game drew a 1.9 final rating and 2.8 million viewers on NBC, according to Sports Business Daily — down 10% in ratings and 14% in viewership from South Florida/Notre Dame last year (2.1, 3.249M), and down 14% and 15%, respectively, from Purdue/Notre Dame in 2010 (2.2, 3.289M).
The 1.9 rating is the second-lowest for a Notre Dame home opener on NBC since at least 1998 (ratings prior to 1999 were not available). Only Nevada/Notre Dame in 2009 (1.3) earned a lower rating.
Purdue/Notre Dame was the lowest rated college football game on broadcast over the weekend, even trailing Penn State/Virginia in an earlier timeslot on ABC (2.0).
Final Ratings/Viewership For Notre Dame Home Opener
Past decade
| Year | Date | Notre Dame Opponent | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Sat., 9/8/12 | Purdue |
NBC
|
1.9
|
2,800
|
| 2011 | Sat., 9/3/11 | South Florida |
NBC
|
2.1
|
3,249
|
| 2010 | Sat., 9/4/10 | Purdue |
NBC
|
2.2
|
3,289
|
| 2009 | Sat., 9/5/09 | Nevada |
NBC
|
1.3
|
1,886
|
| 2008 | Sat., 9/6/08 | San Diego State |
NBC
|
2.3
|
3,319
|
| 2007 | Sat., 9/1/07 | Georgia Tech |
NBC
|
2.4
|
3,389
|
| 2006 | Sat., 9/9/06 | Penn State |
NBC
|
4.7
|
6,902
|
| 2005 | Sat., 9/17/05 | Michigan State |
NBC
|
3.8
|
5,471
|
| 2004 | Sat., 9/11/04 | Michigan |
NBC
|
4.0
|
5,677
|
| 2003 | Sat., 9/6/03 | Washington State |
NBC
|
3.1
|
4,395
|
| 2002 | Sat., 9/7/02 | Purdue |
NBC
|
2.7
|
3,475
|
(Saturday’s numbers from Sports Business Daily)
