Recent sports TV ratings news, including declines for college football on ESPN, a six-year high for the Stars on Fox Sports Southwest, and a season-low for the Texans.
- ESPN drew a 1.8 U.S. rating and 2.626 million viewers for South Florida/West Virginia Thursday night, down 14% in ratings and viewership from last year (CIN/USF: 2.1, 3.058 mil), but up 6% and 7%, respectively, from 2008 (CLEM/WF: 1.7, 2.462 mil). One night earlier, Central Florida/Marshall drew a 1.0 and 1.329 million, down 55% and 58%, respectively, from last year (BSU/TUL: 2.2, 3.195 mil). (TV By The Numbers 1, 2)
- Thursday’s Red Wings/Stars game, featuring the return of former Stars star Mike Modano, drew a 1.7 rating on Fox Sports Southwest — the highest rating for a regular season Stars telecast on the network since April 2004 (DAL/MIN: 2.4). Red Wings/Stars was the top cable program of the night in the Dallas-Ft. Worth market, edging the previously mentioned South Florida/West Virginia college football game on ESPN (1.6). (nhl.com, via Puck The Media)
- The Texans’ 24-point loss to the Giants drew a 19.9 rating on Houston CBS affiliate KHOU last Sunday, the team’s lowest local rating of the season. All previous games had drawn at least a 20.0 rating. Giants/Texans barely outdrew Sunday’s Titans/Cowboys game, which drew a 17.0 rating on KHOU. (Houston Chronicle)
