Ratings for the Heisman Trophy Presentation tied a 14-year low.
Saturday’s Heisman Trophy Presentation earned a 1.9 final rating and 3.1 million viewers on ESPN, down a tick in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (2.0, 3.2M), down 27% in both measures from 2013 (2.6, 4.2M), and tied with 2003 as the lowest rated edition of the event since 2001 (1.5).
The ceremony, which lasted a half-hour longer than usual, also ranks as the least-watched since 2006 (3.0M).
Alabama HB Derrick Henry won the Heisman, marking the first time since Mark Ingram in 2009 that a non-quarterback has won the award. Ingram’s win had a much stronger 3.5 and 6.0 million.
Later in the night, the ESPN 30 For 30 documentary premiere Four Falls of Buffalo scored a 1.0 and 1.5 million — down 17% in ratings and 21% in viewership from The U Part II last year (1.2, 1.9M) and down 23% and 24%, respectively, from Youngstown Boys in 2013 (1.3, 2.0M).
The film ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched documentary premiere following the Heisman Trophy Presentation since at least 2007, falling below even the pre-30 For 30 doc The Greatest Game Ever Played in 2008 (1.4, 1.8M).
Ratings/Viewership For Heisman, ESPN Documentary Premiere
Dating back to 2000; some historical data from CNBC 12/8/09
| Year | Heisman | Doc Premiere | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Rtg. | Vwrs. | Film | Rtg. | Vwrs. | |
| 2015 | Henry ALA HB |
1.9 | 3.06M | Four Falls of Buffalo | 1.0 | 1.49M |
| 2014 | Mariota ORE QB |
2.0 | 3.15M | The U Part II | 1.2 | 1.88M |
| 2013 | Winston FSU QB |
2.6 | 4.18M | Youngstown Boys | 1.3 | 1.97M |
| 2012 | Manziel A&M QB |
3.1 | 4.90M | You Don’t Know Bo | 2.3 | 3.60M |
| 2011 | Griffin III BAY QB |
2.9 | 4.60M | Marinovich Project | 1.4 | 2.13M |
| 2010 | Newton AUB QB |
2.3 | 3.78M | Pony Excess | 1.6 | 2.52M |
| 2009 | Ingram ALA HB |
3.5 | 5.99M | The U | 1.6 | 2.35M |
| 2008 | Bradford OU QB |
2.7 | 4.15M | Greatest Gm. Played | 1.4 | 1.81M |
| 2007 | Tebow UF QB |
2.6 | 4.28M | Data prior to 2008 not immediately available. | ||
| 2006 | Smith OSU QB |
2.0 | 2.95M | |||
| 2005 | Bush USC HB |
2.1 | 3.49M | |||
| 2004 | Leinhart USC QB |
2.2 | 3.37M | |||
| 2003 | White OU QB |
1.9 | 2.89M | |||
| 2002 | Palmer USC QB |
2.5 | 3.99M | |||
| 2001 | Crouch NEB QB |
1.5 | 2.17M | |||
| 2000 | Weinke FSU QB |
1.7 | 2.18M | |||
(Sat. numbers via TV Media Insights)
