Recent sports TV ratings news, including declines for college football on ABC and ESPN last week and a huge jump for the Knicks’ season opener on MSG.
- Regional college football action featuring Wisconsin/Iowa drew a 3.7 final rating and 6.072 million viewers on ABC last Saturday, down 18% in ratings and 16% in viewership from last year (PSU/MICH*: 4.5, 7.243 mil), and down 3% but up 5%, respectively, from 2008 (OSU/MSU*: 3.8, 5.764 mil). Despite the declines, the telecast drew ABC’s second-best afternoon college football numbers of the season. (Sports Business Daily)
- Last Saturday afternoon’s Michigan State/Northwestern game earned a 2.1 U.S. rating and 3.105 million viewers on ESPN, down 13% and 11%, respectively, from last year (MIN/OSU: 2.4, 3.478 mil). Later in the day, ESPN drew a 1.0 and 1.670 million for Washington/Arizona, which had a lead-in from Alabama/Tennessee (2.5, 4.371 mil). (pifeedback.com)
- Wednesday’s Knicks/Raptors game drew a 1.65 rating on MSG in the New York market, up 166% from last year’s Knicks season opener on the network (MIA/NYK: 0.62). The game ranks as the top opener on MSG since 2006. (Multichannel News)
