Recent sports TV ratings news, including declines for Miami (OH)/Florida and USC/Hawaii and ratings for the WNBA Playoffs on ABC.
- Saturday’s Miami (OH)/Florida college football game drew a 2.2 U.S. rating and 3.382 million viewers on ESPN, down 15% and 13%, respectively, from Navy/Ohio State in the same timeslot last year (2.6, 3.877 mil). Later in the day, Texas/Rice drew a 1.5 and 2.332 million viewers. (Sports Business Daily)
- USC/Hawaii on September 2 drew a 1.5 U.S. rating and 2.130 million viewers, down 40% and 45%, respectively, from Oregon/Boise State last year (2.5, 3.855 mil). Other non-Saturday college football ratings: Arizona/Toledo last Friday drew a 1.2 and 1.773 million viewers, while Sunday’s SMU/Texas Tech tilt drew a 1.3 and 2.015 million — down 13% in ratings and viewership from Mississippi/Memphis last year (1.5, 2.307 mil). (Sports Business Daily)
- ABC drew a 0.5 final rating and 709,000 viewers for Game 2 of the Storm/Mercury WNBA Western Conference Finals last Sunday, marking the most-viewed WNBA telecast since Shock/Sparks in June of last year (0.6, 804,000). To put the numbers in perspective, Sunday’s game drew fewer viewers than the recent MLS All-Star Game, which drew 714,000 viewers on cable network ESPN2. (Sports Business Daily, ESPN)
