Ratings: College Football Playoffs Suffer Major Hit on ESPN
The college football playoffs on ESPN will no doubt be making a resolution to improve their ratings.
Both the Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl were down by double digits from last season’s college football semifinals while airing on New Years Eve . The Orange Bowl, which saw Clemson take on Oklahoma, drew a 9.7 rating in the advertiser coveted adults 18-49 demographic. Last year’s comparable semifinal game, which aired on Jan. 1, scored a 15.3, meaning it dropped almost 38 percent.
The Cotton Bowl between Michigan State and Alabama was similarly down. This year’s game netted a 9.9 rating, while last year’s comparable semifinal game got a 15.5. That is a drop of 36 percent. Last year’s game also aired on Jan. 1.
Also Read: 50 Top Basic Cable Channels of 2015: From ESPN to H2
Both games had a number of factors working against them, however. ABC’s “Dick Clark‘s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” has consistently been a ratings powerhouse, so it is no surprise that broadcast took up a substantial portion of Thursday’s viewership.
In addition, both games were complete blowouts. Alabama crushed Michigan State 38-0, while Clemson routed Oklahoma 37-17.
