I wonder, because many around here post TV ratings for various conferences and events and argue that these numbers have big implications for TV contracts.

But how close tied are the two things? For example:

1) In 1997, the SEC was paid $3m per school by its media contracts, last year it made almost $40m per school. Have TV ratings for SEC football really gone up 12x in the past 20 years?

2) ESPN is paying $80m per year (2013-2025) to broadcast the Rose Bowl. From 2003 - 2013, the Rose Bowl rights sold for $30m per year.

Are Rose Bowl ratings really 2.7 times as high now as they were in 2005?

I suspect that media contracts factor in things other than TV ratings, but maybe these examples are exceptions?