A low-profile opponent and a lopsided result sent television ratings for Notre Dame football spiraling last weekend.
The Rice/Notre Dame college football game drew a 1.3 final rating and 2.1 million viewers on NBC last Saturday, down 19% in ratings and 16% in viewership from Temple/Notre Dame last year (1.6, 2.5M) and down 32% and 25%, respectively, from Purdue/Notre Dame in week two of the 2012 season (1.9, 2.8M).
The 1.3 rating is tied as the lowest for a Notre Dame home opener since at least 1998 (ratings prior to 1999 were not available), matching Nevada/Notre Dame in 2009. Ratings and viewership have now declined for the last four Notre Dame openers.
Despite the low numbers, Rice/Notre Dame was not the lowest rated game of the week on broadcast. That distinction went to Fresno State/USC on FOX, which earned a 0.9 rating.
(Sat. numbers from Sports Business Daily)
