Ratings and viewership for the Alamo Bowl plummeted from the previous year’s controversy-fueled numbers.
The Oklahoma State/Arizona Alamo Bowl earned a 2.8 U.S. rating and 4.643 million viewers on ESPN December 29, down 42% in ratings and 41% in viewership from last year (TTU/MSU: 4.8, 7.829 mil), and down 28% and 24%, respectively, from 2008 (MIZZOU/NWU: 3.9, 6.076 mil).
Last year’s Alamo Bowl, which took place during a storm of controversy over the firing of Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, was (and still is) the most-viewed non-BCS bowl game ever on ESPN.
This marks the least-viewed Alamo Bowl since 2007 (PSU/TAMU: 3.814 mil). The 2007 game aired opposite a Patriots/Giants NFL game on CBS, NBC and NFL Network, in which the Patriots clinched an undefeated regular season.
Earlier in the night, the Illinois/Baylor Texas Bowl drew a 2.7 U.S. rating and 4.184 million viewers on ESPN, up 29% in ratings and 31% in viewership from last year (NAVY/MIZZOU: 2.1, 3.191 mil).
The game was also up by over 2,000% compared to the 2008 Texas Bowl on NFL Network (WMICH/RICE: 186,000).
