OT: 2024 CFB TV ratings
- Thread starter rutgersguy1
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We did okay... from SportsMediaWatch
On Thursday, the Rutgers-Kansas State Cactus Bowl drew 3.50 million (+30%), the highest since January 2016 (West Virginia-Kansas State: 3.7M). It was preceded by the multiple-overtime Pittsburgh-Toledo Detroit Bowl at 2.56 million (+15%), the highest since 2019 (Pittsburgh-Eastern Michigan: 3.05M). The Arkansas State-Bowling Green Mobile Bowl rounded out the day with 1.68 million (+120%), the highest since 2018 (Troy-Buffalo: 1.70M).
On Thursday, the Rutgers-Kansas State Cactus Bowl drew 3.50 million (+30%), the highest since January 2016 (West Virginia-Kansas State: 3.7M). It was preceded by the multiple-overtime Pittsburgh-Toledo Detroit Bowl at 2.56 million (+15%), the highest since 2019 (Pittsburgh-Eastern Michigan: 3.05M). The Arkansas State-Bowling Green Mobile Bowl rounded out the day with 1.68 million (+120%), the highest since 2018 (Troy-Buffalo: 1.70M).
This is why there are 'so many' bowl games when people complain. Live content is king and CFB delivers. The Mobile Bowl featuring two teams most people don't care about scored better ratings than all but 12 regular season college basketball games from last season. The Cactus Bowl did better than the biggest CBB rivalry UNC vs Duke who were both top 10 last February. Bowls are here to stay
I just watch the non-CFP bowls here and there now as they don’t have the same thrill for me but plenty of people still do. And people think CFB is in trouble with the new paradigm of NIL, portal etc, doesn’t look like it to me.
From the article
That pair, and others like it, became part of a notable trend in the 2024-25 bowl season: 21 of the 30 non-Playoff bowls that aired on an ESPN network through Jan. 2 saw year-over-year viewership increases, the majority of them by 20 percent or more.
It’s a repudiation of the longstanding concern that a bigger Playoff would diminish interest in the other bowls. If anything, the addition of first-round CFP games the weekend of Dec. 20 and 21 likely boosted viewership for the games played over the 10 days between those and the quarterfinal round by keeping college football in the conversation longer.
People want to see more college football,” said Steve Hogan, CEO of Florida Citrus Sports, which runs the Citrus and Pop-Tarts bowls. “If people were wondering whether fans would have zero interest (in the non-CFP bowls), that question was answered in these past few weeks.”
Resoundingly so.
All parties recognize that most non-CFP bowls are primarily television programs now, which may eventually require a different business model.
I’d like to see more flexibility in the selection process,” said Carparelli. “If you go back in time, the strict conference-bowl tie-ins were not a thing. Everyone was a free agent every year. I almost feel like the system is ready to be turned back around.”
From the article
That pair, and others like it, became part of a notable trend in the 2024-25 bowl season: 21 of the 30 non-Playoff bowls that aired on an ESPN network through Jan. 2 saw year-over-year viewership increases, the majority of them by 20 percent or more.
It’s a repudiation of the longstanding concern that a bigger Playoff would diminish interest in the other bowls. If anything, the addition of first-round CFP games the weekend of Dec. 20 and 21 likely boosted viewership for the games played over the 10 days between those and the quarterfinal round by keeping college football in the conversation longer.
People want to see more college football,” said Steve Hogan, CEO of Florida Citrus Sports, which runs the Citrus and Pop-Tarts bowls. “If people were wondering whether fans would have zero interest (in the non-CFP bowls), that question was answered in these past few weeks.”
Resoundingly so.
All parties recognize that most non-CFP bowls are primarily television programs now, which may eventually require a different business model.
I’d like to see more flexibility in the selection process,” said Carparelli. “If you go back in time, the strict conference-bowl tie-ins were not a thing. Everyone was a free agent every year. I almost feel like the system is ready to be turned back around.”
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