Iowa / Wisconsin = 939,000
Rutgers / Illinois = 628,000
Purdue / Ohio State = 655,000
Michigan / Maryland = 443,000
Rutgers / Illinois = 628,000
Purdue / Ohio State = 655,000
Michigan / Maryland = 443,000
Friday's BigTen TV Viewership Numbers
- Thread starter Tango Two
- Start date
"The Big Ten Network’s coverage of the 2021 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament presented by SoFi delivered record audiences, as it became the most-watched men’s tournament in network history and included the most-watched men’s basketball game in network history.
Across the entire tournament on BTN, the total audience grew by +14% to more than 5.2 million viewers and the average audience for each game grew by +15% to 528,220. The first-round average increased by +9% to 367,262, the second-round average increased by +11% to 464,051 and the Friday’s quarterfinals had an average audience of 667,272 viewers, representing an increase of +18%.
Driving the quarterfinal increase was Friday night’s game between Iowa and Wisconsin, which earned 938,784 viewers, the highest-rated game in network history. That topped the previous high of 813,951 viewers for a 2018 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal matchup between Ohio State vs. Penn State."
Across the entire tournament on BTN, the total audience grew by +14% to more than 5.2 million viewers and the average audience for each game grew by +15% to 528,220. The first-round average increased by +9% to 367,262, the second-round average increased by +11% to 464,051 and the Friday’s quarterfinals had an average audience of 667,272 viewers, representing an increase of +18%.
Driving the quarterfinal increase was Friday night’s game between Iowa and Wisconsin, which earned 938,784 viewers, the highest-rated game in network history. That topped the previous high of 813,951 viewers for a 2018 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal matchup between Ohio State vs. Penn State."
If you want to adjust the thread title, here's information from Saturday and Sunday. The Big Ten was by far the most watched conference this year:
As for the conference tournaments, the Big Ten fared better than the rest — both in raw numbers and compared to 2019. Sunday’s Illinois-Ohio State Big Ten Tournament final finished as the top game of the college basketball season with a 2.2 rating and 3.68 million viewers on CBS, down just 8% and 7% respectively from 2019 (Michigan-Michigan State: 2.4, 3.94M).
Saturday’s Illinois-Iowa semifinal pulled a 1.7 and 2.89 million, ranking second for the season behind Sunday’s title game, and up 31% and 48% respectively from 2019 (Michigan-Minnesota: 1.3, 1.95M). Ohio State-Michigan pulled a 1.6 (+14%) and 2.51 million (+22%) earlier in the day, ranking fourth for the season. Overall, the Big Ten generated the top five audiences of the season.
Source: https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2021/03/ncaa-selection-show-ratings-down-conference-tournaments/
Big Ten's numbers are amazing when you consider the rest of the conferences!
Source: https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2021/03/ncaa-selection-show-ratings-down-conference-tournaments/
Steep declines and multi-year lows marked the rest of the weekend slate. Saturday’s Georgia Tech-Florida State ACC Tournament final drew a 1.0 and 1.80 million on ESPN, the lowest for the game since 2010 (0.9, 1.30M) and down 60% and 56% respectively from 2019 — when it featured Zion Williamson and Duke against FSU (2.5, 4.06M).
Sunday’s Alabama-LSU SEC Tournament final had a 1.0 and 1.60 million on ESPN, the lowest for that game in at least 12 years and down 33% and 28% respectively from 2019 (Auburn-Tennessee: 1.45, 2.24M).
Saturday’s Texas-Oklahoma State Big 12 Tournament final drew a 0.9 and 1.65 million on ESPN, the lowest for that game in at least 14 years and down 41% and 34% respectively from 2019 (Iowa State-Kansas: 1.6, 2.52M).
The Oregon State-Colorado Pac-12 Tournament final avoided a multi-season low, but its 0.6 and 1.16 million on ESPN sank 52% and 42% respectively from 2019 (Oregon-Washington: 1.2, 1.99M).
Georgetown’s upset run could not save the Big East Tournament final, as the Hoyas’ rout of Creighton (0.54, 903K) was the lowest rated and least-watched edition of the game since 2015 on FS1 (0.2, 414K) and declined 23% and 20% respectively from 2019 (Villanova-Seton Hall: 0.7, 1.13M).
Source: https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2021/03/ncaa-selection-show-ratings-down-conference-tournaments/
8 out of 10 Big Ten games (including Michigan State - Duke) were the most watched college basketball games of the season. That's extremely impressive. Understanding many of these games were on CBS which is going to draw a larger national audience compared to Cable/ESPN, it's evidence that Big Ten basketball content is valuable and makes one wonder if anyone was watching college basketball other than Big Ten games.
Negotiations for a new TV contract will begin shortly and this is more ammunition. Big Ten Conference partners and prospective bidders will definitely take notice.
Total TV dominance this year. To go up when everyone else is going down, and to have a near monopoly on the most watched events.
Good timing too. Big Ten contracts with ESPN/FOX/CBS all expire soon with negotiations taking place one year from now.