Sportsmediawatch provides information on TV viewers and National Nielsen Ratings for college football games. They include all games carried on the major networks except for the SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, Big Ten Network, and Pac-12 Network.
I broke the games down into two categories: Tier 1 Networks and Tier 2 Networks. Tier 1 Networks include ESPN and the major networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC). Tier 2 Networks are the other ESPN channels and FS1.
Big 12
Total Conference Games = 45
Total Tier 1 Conference Games = 19 (42.2%)
Total Tier 2 Conference Games = 22 (48.9%)
Total "non-major" Conference Games = 4 (8.9%)
Average Tier 1 Viewers = 3.184 Million
Average Tier 2 Viewers = 693 Thousand
ACC
Total Conference Games = 57
Total Tier 1 Conference Games = 17 (29.8%)
Total Tier 2 Conference Games = 17 (29.8%)
Total "non-major" Conference Games = 23 (40.4%)
Average Tier 1 Viewers = 2.889 Million
Average Tier 2 Viewers = 652 Thousand
Pac 12
Total Conference Games = 55
Total Tier 1 Conference Games = 27 (49.1%)
Total Tier 2 Conference Games = 13 (23.6%)
Total "non-major" Conference Games = 15 (27.3%)
Average Tier 1 Viewers = 2.113 Million
Average Tier 2 Viewers = 622 Thousand
I am not an expert on what the networks are looking at or looking for when they evaluate conferences when it comes time to renegotiate contracts but it appears to me that the Big 12 is much more than holding their own against the ACC and the Pac 12. The networks are able to be more selective in choosing quality games from the Pac and the ACC, but despite this the Big 12 outdraws them on an average basis. I will add that this is not due to some large outlier in the Big 12. The median attendance figures end up in the same way with the Big 12 out front.
I believe that if we add decent teams (Cinci, BYU, or similar) that our overall ratings should improve some. This is due to having some additional viewers watching other conference games from the new markets AND from the networks having more inventory to choose from. Either way I think we should be in good shape compared to the ACC and the Pac when we renegotiate our contracts in 2025 (assuming nobody gets googly eyes for the B1G and SEC).
I broke the games down into two categories: Tier 1 Networks and Tier 2 Networks. Tier 1 Networks include ESPN and the major networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC). Tier 2 Networks are the other ESPN channels and FS1.
Big 12
Total Conference Games = 45
Total Tier 1 Conference Games = 19 (42.2%)
Total Tier 2 Conference Games = 22 (48.9%)
Total "non-major" Conference Games = 4 (8.9%)
Average Tier 1 Viewers = 3.184 Million
Average Tier 2 Viewers = 693 Thousand
ACC
Total Conference Games = 57
Total Tier 1 Conference Games = 17 (29.8%)
Total Tier 2 Conference Games = 17 (29.8%)
Total "non-major" Conference Games = 23 (40.4%)
Average Tier 1 Viewers = 2.889 Million
Average Tier 2 Viewers = 652 Thousand
Pac 12
Total Conference Games = 55
Total Tier 1 Conference Games = 27 (49.1%)
Total Tier 2 Conference Games = 13 (23.6%)
Total "non-major" Conference Games = 15 (27.3%)
Average Tier 1 Viewers = 2.113 Million
Average Tier 2 Viewers = 622 Thousand
I am not an expert on what the networks are looking at or looking for when they evaluate conferences when it comes time to renegotiate contracts but it appears to me that the Big 12 is much more than holding their own against the ACC and the Pac 12. The networks are able to be more selective in choosing quality games from the Pac and the ACC, but despite this the Big 12 outdraws them on an average basis. I will add that this is not due to some large outlier in the Big 12. The median attendance figures end up in the same way with the Big 12 out front.
I believe that if we add decent teams (Cinci, BYU, or similar) that our overall ratings should improve some. This is due to having some additional viewers watching other conference games from the new markets AND from the networks having more inventory to choose from. Either way I think we should be in good shape compared to the ACC and the Pac when we renegotiate our contracts in 2025 (assuming nobody gets googly eyes for the B1G and SEC).
