TV Bowl Ratings and FCS playoffs

[oedipuss]

• Date/time Game Net Rtg. +/- Vwrs. +/-
  1. 1/13, 8:00p LSU-CLEM
  National Championship ESPN Megacast 14.3 +4% 25.59M +1%
  
  2. 12/28, 8:00p CLEM-OSU
  Fiesta Bowl (CFP semi) ESPN Megacast 11.1 +12% 21.15M +11%
  
  3. 12/28, 4:00p LSU-OU
  Peach Bowl (CFP semi) ESPN Megacast 9.5 +1% 17.21M +2%
  
  4. 1/1, 5:00p ORE-WISC
  Rose Bowl ESPN
  ESPN2 8.7 -2% 16.30M -3%
  
  5. 1/1, 1:00p ALA-MICH
  Citrus Bowl ABC 8.0 +82% 14.00M +82%
  
  6. 1/1, 8:30p UGA-BYLR
  Sugar Bowl ESPN
  ESPN2 5.7 -22% 10.22M -23%
  
  7. 12/28, Noon PSU-MEM
  Cotton Bowl* ESPN 3.8 -28% 6.22M -34%
  
  8. 12/30, 8:00p UF-UVA
  Orange Bowl* ESPN 3.5 -44% 6.07M -48%
  
  9. 12/31, 7:30p TEX-UTA
  Alamo Bowl ESPN 3.1 -3% 5.61M +1%
  
  10. 12/27, 6:45p OK ST-T A&M
  Texas Bowl ESPN 2.8 +40% 4.90M +46%
  
  11. 1/2, 7:00p TENN-IND
  Gator Bowl ESPN 2.6 -4% 4.32M -16%
  
  12. 12/28, Noon ND-IA ST
  Camping World Bowl ABC 2.65 -5% 4.17M -14%
  
  13. 1/1, 1:00p AUB-MINN
  Outback Bowl ESPN 2.4 +33% 3.99M +22%
  
  14. 12/27, 3:20p MSU-WAKE
  Pinstripe Bowl ESPN 2.3 flat 3.80M +0.1%
  
  15. 12/31, 3:45p NAVY-K ST
  Liberty Bowl ESPN 2.1 -9% 3.33M -13%
  
  16. 12/31, 2:00p ASU-FSU
  Sun Bowl CBS 2.1 +17% 3.17M +21%
  
  17. 12/26, 8:00p PITT-EMU
  Quick Lane Bowl ESPN 1.8 +13% 3.05M +13%
  
  18. 1/11, Noon NDSU-JMU
  FCS Championship ABC 1.8 +200% 2.69M +168%
  
  19. 12/21, 7:30p BOISE ST-WASH
  Las Vegas Bowl ABC 1.6 -29% 2.64M -21%
  
  20. 12/31, Noon UK-VT
  Belk Bowl ESPN 1.7 +3% 2.62M +3%
  
  21. 12/27, 10:15p WASH ST-AF
  Cactus Bowl ESPN 1.6 flat 2.62M -3%
  
  22. 12/27, 8:00p IOWA-USC
  Holiday Bowl FS1 1.3 +44% 2.50M +40%
  
  23. 12/24, 8:00p HAW-BYU
  Hawaii Bowl ESPN 1.4 +87% 2.43M +110%
  
  24. 12/26, 4:00p LA TECH-MIA
  Independence Bowl ESPN 1.4 +17% 2.37M +31%
  
  25. 12/30, 4:00p MISS ST-LOU
  Music City Bowl ESPN 1.4 -13% 2.20M -14%
  
  26. 12/27, Noon UNC-TEMP
  Military Bowl ESPN 1.3 -24% 2.07M -22%
  
  27. 12/21, 3:30p SMU-FAU
  Boca Raton Bowl ABC 1.3 +63% 1.99M +48%
  
  28. 12/30, 4:00p CAL-ILL
  San Francisco Bowl FOX 1.2 -48% 1.87M -51%
  
  29. 12/21, Noon NC A&T-ALCORN
  Celebration Bowl ABC 1.2 -25% 1.81M -23%
  
  30. 12/14, Noon NDSU-ILL ST ESPN 1.2 +9% 1.74M -4%
  
  30. 1/4, 11:30a TULANE-S MISS
  Armed Forces Bowl ESPN 1.2 -25% 1.74M -33%
  
  31. 1/2, 3:00p CIN-BC
  Birmingham Bowl^ ESPN 1.0 -38% 1.52M -40%
  
  32. 1/6, 8:00p LA-MIA (OH)
  Mobile Bowl ESPN 0.9 -10% 1.45M -15%
  
  33. 1/3, 3:30p NEV-OHIO
  Idaho Potato Bowl ESPN 0.9 flat 1.36M -1%
  
  34. 12/30, Noon WKU-WMU
  First Responder Bowl ESPN 0.9 flat 1.29M -11%
  
  35. 12/20, 7:30p UTA ST-KENT ST
  Frisco Bowl ESPN2 0.8 -11% 1.25M -14%
  
  36. 12/23, 2:30p UCF-MARSH
  Gasparilla Bowl ESPN 0.8 -27% 1.15M -34%
  
  37. 12/21, 9:00p APP ST-UAB
  New Orleans Bowl ESPN 0.6 -25% 963K -30%
  
  38. 12/21, 2:00p SDSU-CMU
  New Mexico Bowl ESPN 0.49 -26% 802K -17%
  
  39. 12/20, 2:00p BUF-CHA
  Bahamas Bowl ESPN 0.55 -2% 739K -12%
  
  40. 12/21, 5:30p FIU-AK ST
  Camellia Bowl ESPN 0.43 -33% 692K -30%
  
  41. 12/13, 7:00p JMU-UNI ESPN2 0.35 -3% 563K -1%
  
  42. 12/21 12:08p MONTANA STATE/NORTH DAKOTA STATE ESPN2 172 0.06 518K
  
  43. 12/13, 7:00p WEB ST-MT ESPN2 0.28 — 438K —
  
  
  * Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl compared to last non-playoff editions in 2017-18 season.
  ^ Birmingham Bowl was delayed due to inclement weather and concluded on ESPNEWS. Figures are for ESPN telecast only.

Ratings surge for FCS National Championship in move to ABC
Saturday’s North Dakota State-James Madison FCS National Championship averaged a 1.8 rating and 2.69 million viewers on ABC, marking the highest rating and viewership for the game since at least 2012. Prior to this year, the game aired on ESPN2.

The Bison’s win increased 200% in ratings and 168% in viewership from last year (NDSU-Eastern Washington: 0.6, 1.00M) and 80% and 77% respectively from 2018 (NDSU-JMU: 1.0, 1.52M). It outdrew 22 of the 38 FBS bowl games on Nielsen-rated television, including ABC’s primetime Las Vegas Bowl on December 21 (1.6, 2.64M).

[John K]

I would much rather watch FCS playoff games, than any of the lower tier bowl games, and by lower tier, that applies to at least two thirds of the 38 bowl games, maybe even more. There's really only a handful of them that I care about at all, in addition to the 3 playoff games.

[RickRund]

I would much rather watch FCS playoff games, than any of the lower tier bowl games, and by lower tier, that applies to at least two thirds of the 38 bowl games, maybe even more. There's really only a handful of them that I care about at all, in addition to the 3 playoff games.

YEP...

[John K]

If ESPN promoted the FCS games better, I really believe the rest of the country would eventually come around to that way of thinking as well. Games are just more interesting when they actually mean something. What other sport at any level would think it was a good idea to have their postseason consist of a bunch of meaningless exhibition games, most of which are featuring middle of the pack teams from lower tier conferences? If the FCS playoffs ever do gain more nationwide fan interest and media attention, it will undoubtedly drive increased support for expanding the FBS playoffs, as more people are exposed to the drama and excitement of a full blown postseason tournament.

[TomCat88]

I would much rather watch FCS playoff games, than any of the lower tier bowl games, and by lower tier, that applies to at least two thirds of the 38 bowl games, maybe even more. There's really only a handful of them that I care about at all, in addition to the 3 playoff games.

I watch MSU play road games on tv. I didn’t watch any bowl games this year. The only fbs game I watched this year was Minnesota vs Penn State. I watched bits and pieces of other games out of boredom.

[RickRund]

I would much rather watch FCS playoff games, than any of the lower tier bowl games, and by lower tier, that applies to at least two thirds of the 38 bowl games, maybe even more. There's really only a handful of them that I care about at all, in addition to the 3 playoff games.

I watch MSU play road games on tv. I didn’t watch any bowl games this year. The only fbs game I watched this year was Minnesota vs Penn State. I watched bits and pieces of other games out of boredom.

Same here... Except you have me beat by 1 fbs game. Did sort of catch bits of games this season. Watched fair portions of the BSC this season...