Even without competition from the NFL, the Little Caesars Bowl suffered a double-digit decline in both ratings and viewership Sunday night.
FIU’s 34-32 victory over Toledo in the Little Caesars Bowl earned a 1.4 U.S. rating and 2.174 million viewers on ESPN Sunday night, down 46% in ratings and 43% in viewership from last year (MAR/OHIO: 2.6, 3.809 mil).
This marks the least-viewed edition of the game since at least 2006 (viewership prior to the 2007 game was unavailable).
The sizable decline for Sunday’s game is surprising, considering that its chief competition — NBC’s Vikings/Eagles Sunday Night Football game — was postponed to Tuesday night.
Of the eight bowl games through December 26, Sunday’s ranks as the second-lowest rated and second-least viewed, ahead of only the December 18 New Orleans Bowl (1.3, 2.096 mil).
(HH and P2+ viewership from ESPN)
