Good article

[olblue]

 

[BoDawg.sixpack]

Judging by attendance so far in 2026 there's plenty of joy left. On track for an all time record high. The bloviating about the death of college football is generally butt hurt from people who can't let go of the past.

 

[patdog]

Judging by attendance so far in 2026 there's plenty of joy left. On track for an all time record high. The bloviating about the death of college football is generally butt hurt from people who can't let go of the past.

TV ratings for 1st 4 weeks this year are down over 10% from first 4 weeks or last year. Attendance is up 2.8%.

 

[o_Hot Rock]

TV ratings for 1st 4 weeks this year are down over 10% from first 4 weeks or last year. Attendance is up 2.8%.

The headline that college football ratings are down over 10% completely misses the bigger picture. The popularity of the sport has never been higher.
The lower per-game average is just a mathematical side effect of having more options. With conference expansion and networks like The CW and USA broadcasting more inventory, the schedule has been flooded with non-marquee games—like the Big Ten's weak early slate. When you divide the audience across vastly more windows, individual game averages naturally drop.

But look at the bottom line: total viewed games are setting all-time records, and stadium attendance is up nearly 3%. More people are watching more college football than ever before in history. The audience isn't shrinking—it's thriving."

 

[BoDawg.sixpack]

TV ratings for 1st 4 weeks this year are down over 10% from first 4 weeks or last year. Attendance is up 2.8%.

The marquee games are strong. Some of the early season matchups have been dotted with cupcakes.

 

[patdog]

The marquee games are strong. Some of the early season matchups have been dotted with cupcakes.

They're down from last year too.

 

[8dog]

They're down from last year too.

The SEC and College Gameday are both up though. Just means more.

 

[HRMSU]

TV ratings for 1st 4 weeks this year are down over 10% from first 4 weeks or last year. Attendance is up 2.8%.

Saw that article too which surprised me given all the hype about the health of college football.

More people attending but less people watching doesn't seem to math. I would think they would both be moving in the same direction or at least tv ratings growing.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

TV ratings for 1st 4 weeks this year are down over 10% from first 4 weeks or last year.

There are so many different ways to stream/watch games, I wonder how accurate viewership numbers are?

 

[tired]

Wtf is a failure addiction? I'm not reading that crap.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

I guess it’s kind of like watching a train wreck. You just can’t look away. You hate it but at the same time you still love it.

 

[patdog]

Wtf is a failure addiction? I'm not reading that crap.

Just read it. You made the right choice.

 

[olblue]

I guess it’s kind of like watching a train wreck. You just can’t look away. You hate it but at the same time you still love it.

I think the game is thriving, but he’s right about the knee jerk reactions around coaching hirings/firings. And I’m guilty of it even though I have almost zero skin in the game.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

I think the game is thriving, but he’s right about the knee jerk reactions around coaching hirings/firings. And I’m guilty of it even though I have almost zero skin in the game.

It’s all about this whole NIL/portal circus mess with me, and probably many others.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

This is very simple. The game is now about the playoff. As soon as the perception is there that your team is eliminated, it becomes about the negativity.