Below are the Top games involving ACC teams during the regular season (ACCCG games count as regular season).

The criteria for making this list is that the games were either part of the ACC contract (so no FSU @ FLA or Pitt @ PSU for example) or were inter-conference match-ups held at neutral sites because when doing the conference showdowns (which I hopefully will have done by the end of the month) I count those games for both conferences while for example the FSU @ FLA games are only in the SEC totals while the FLA @ FSU games are only in the ACC totals.

In the meantime, since I have the ACC review complete (although I am sure there will be a few errors of either omission or in actual viewer numbers or failing to notate a game as being a neutral site game simply because there usually are a few of these errors every time I do this, but nothing that seriously impacts the overall data) I thought I would present the Top 40 from the ACC.

When I did this towards the middle of the 2016 season simply to demonstrate a point on a particular topic being discussed I did a Top 25, but with more games now I expanded it to a Top 40 and I am sure next year it will be expanded again, probably to a Top 50. I did think about going back and adding in the games that were not part of the ACC contract, but since my spreadsheets are not set up that way, I decided against it. Perhaps in the future I will add those games in as well. Interesting enough the 40th game on this list was the 25th game on that previous list. So in a year and a half, 15 games were added to the overall list.

01 - ND vs FSU - 13.25 million viewers
02 - Alabama vs FSU - 12.56 million viewers
03 - OSU vs VT - 10.58 million viewers
04 - GT vs FSU - 10.15 million viewers (2014 ACCCG)
05 - UL vs Clem - 9.29 million viewers
06 - FSU vs Miami - 8.74 million viewers
07 - Ole Miss vs FSU - 8.35 million viewers (neutral site game)
08 - Clem vs UNC - 7.92 million viewers (2015 ACCCG)
09 - ND vs Clem - 7.65 million viewers
10 - FSU vs Clem - 7.56 million viewers
11 - Clem vs FSU - 7.35 million viewers
12 - ND vs Miami - 6.73 million viewers
13 - FLA vs FSU - 6.437 million viewers
14 - FSU vs UL - 6.22 million viewers
15 - FLA vs FSU - 5.96 million viewers
16 - VT vs Tenn - 5.79 million viewers (neutral site game)
17 - ND vs UVA - 5.74 million viewers
18 - FSU vs Miami - 5.54 million viewers
19 - Clem vs Miami - 5.43 million viewers (2017 ACCCG)
20 - FSU vs Clem - 5.38 million viewers
21 - Clem vs VT - 5.34 million viewers (2016 ACCCG)
22 - Tenn vs GT - 5.27 million viewers
23 - Clem vs UL - 5.21 million viewers
24 - FSU vs UL - 4.97 million viewers
25 - Pitt vs Clem - 4.93 million viewers
26 - WVU vs VT - 4.74 million viewers (neutral site game)
27 - Clem vs VT - 4.69 million viewers
28 - Miami vs Pitt - 4.66 million viewers
29 - NCST vs Clem - 4.51 million viewers
30 - ND vs SU - 4.05 million viewers
31 - ND vs Pitt - 3.84 million viewers
32 - ND vs NCST - 3.72 million viewers
33 - Miami vs UL - 3.61 million viewers
34 - UGA vs UNC - 3.53 million viewers
35 - Aub vs Clem - 3.50 million viewers
35 - Miami vs FSU - 3.50 million viewers
37 - GT vs Miami - 3.44 million viewers
38 - UVA vs Miami - 3.34 million viewers
39 - LSU vs SU - 3.20 million viewers
40 - FSU vs BC - 3.15 million viewers

This time out, I present the above data without having a particular point to make about it. So make of the above numbers what you will.

Cheers,
Neil

Note old Big East Schools in bold. 22 games included Big East teams and 7 games included Notre Dame. 13 games Clemson. 12 games FSU.

01 - ND vs FSU - 13.25 million viewers
02 - Alabama vs FSU - 12.56 million viewers
03 - OSU vs VT - 10.58 million viewers
04 - GT vs FSU - 10.15 million viewers (2014 ACCCG)
05 - UL vs Clem - 9.29 million viewers
06 - FSU vs Miami - 8.74 million viewers
07 - Ole Miss vs FSU - 8.35 million viewers (neutral site game)
08 - Clem vs UNC - 7.92 million viewers (2015 ACCCG)
09 -ND vs Clem - 7.65 million viewers
10 - FSU vs Clem - 7.56 million viewers
11 - Clem vs FSU - 7.35 million viewers
12 - ND vs Miami - 6.73 million viewers
13 - FLA vs FSU - 6.437 million viewers
14 - FSU vs UL - 6.22 million viewers
15 - FLA vs FSU - 5.96 million viewers
16 - VT vs Tenn - 5.79 million viewers (neutral site game)
17 - ND vs UVA - 5.74 million viewers
18 - FSU vs Miami - 5.54 million viewers
19 - Clem vs Miami - 5.43 million viewers (2017 ACCCG)
20 - FSU vs Clem - 5.38 million viewers
21 - Clem vs VT - 5.34 million viewers (2016 ACCCG)
22 - Tenn vs GT - 5.27 million viewers
23 - Clem vs UL - 5.21 million viewers
24 - FSU vs UL - 4.97 million viewers
25 - Pitt vs Clem - 4.93 million viewers
26 - WVU vs VT - 4.74 million viewers (neutral site game)
27 - Clem vs VT - 4.69 million viewers
28 - Miami vs Pitt - 4.66 million viewers
29 - NCST vs Clem - 4.51 million viewers
30 - ND vs SU - 4.05 million viewers
31 - ND vs Pitt - 3.84 million viewers
32 - ND vs NCST - 3.72 million viewers
33 - Miami vs UL - 3.61 million viewers
34 - UGA vs UNC - 3.53 million viewers
35 - Aub vs Clem - 3.50 million viewers
35 - Miami vs FSU - 3.50 million viewers
37 - GT vs Miami - 3.44 million viewers
38 - UVA vs Miami - 3.34 million viewers
39 - LSU vs SU - 3.20 million viewers
40 - FSU vs BC - 3.15 million viewers

I've bolded the ACC conference games:

(04-14-2018 07:05 PM)OrangeDude Wrote:  Below are the Top games involving ACC teams during the regular season (ACCCG games count as regular season).

01 - ND vs FSU - 13.25 million viewers
02 - Alabama vs FSU - 12.56 million viewers
03 - OSU vs VT - 10.58 million viewers
04 - GT vs FSU - 10.15 million viewers (2014 ACCCG)
05 - UL vs Clem - 9.29 million viewers
06 - FSU vs Miami - 8.74 million viewers
07 - Ole Miss vs FSU - 8.35 million viewers (neutral site game)
08 - Clem vs UNC - 7.92 million viewers (2015 ACCCG)
09 - ND vs Clem - 7.65 million viewers
10 - FSU vs Clem - 7.56 million viewers
11 - Clem vs FSU - 7.35 million viewers
12 - ND vs Miami - 6.73 million viewers
13 - FLA vs FSU - 6.437 million viewers
14 - FSU vs UL - 6.22 million viewers
15 - FLA vs FSU - 5.96 million viewers
16 - VT vs Tenn - 5.79 million viewers (neutral site game)
17 - ND vs UVA - 5.74 million viewers
18 - FSU vs Miami - 5.54 million viewers
19 - Clem vs Miami - 5.43 million viewers (2017 ACCCG)
20 - FSU vs Clem - 5.38 million viewers
21 - Clem vs VT - 5.34 million viewers (2016 ACCCG)
22 - Tenn vs GT - 5.27 million viewers
23 - Clem vs UL - 5.21 million viewers
24 - FSU vs UL - 4.97 million viewers
25 - Pitt vs Clem - 4.93 million viewers
26 - WVU vs VT - 4.74 million viewers (neutral site game)
27 - Clem vs VT - 4.69 million viewers
28 - Miami vs Pitt - 4.66 million viewers
29 - NCST vs Clem - 4.51 million viewers
30 - ND vs SU - 4.05 million viewers
31 - ND vs Pitt - 3.84 million viewers
32 - ND vs NCST - 3.72 million viewers
33 - Miami vs UL - 3.61 million viewers
34 - UGA vs UNC - 3.53 million viewers
35 - Aub vs Clem - 3.50 million viewers
35 - Miami vs FSU - 3.50 million viewers
37 - GT vs Miami - 3.44 million viewers
38 - UVA vs Miami - 3.34 million viewers
39 - LSU vs SU - 3.20 million viewers
40 - FSU vs BC - 3.15 million viewers

This time out, I present the above data without having a particular point to make about it. So make of the above numbers what you will.

Cheers,
Neil

Big-time non-conference games are always going to get good TV ratings because they bring in viewers from 2 footprints (and often a large national audience, too). Seeing the ACC do this well without outside help is a good sign.

However, there's still a weakness in ACC football... to get a conference football game involving neither Clemson nor FSU, you must drop down all the way to #28. That shows a lack of depth and/or a poor choice of divisions (probably both). In fact, there are only 4 ACC conference games in the top 40 which don't have one of the top 2 teams in the mix.

I'm disappointed in VT/Miami and VT/GT - I would've expected better ratings from those two matchups. One possible mitigating factor is the network: those Clemson and FSU games were probably on ABC, whereas the VT games were probably on ESPN, which gets lower ratings because it's on cable rather than OTA. You could try to normalize the data for network effect, but some would cry foul if you did...

BOTTOM LINE: It is what it is. VT, Miami and GT need to (1) keep winning, and (2) market themselves better.

Great info, thanks.

Top 10
FSU 6, Clemson 4, ND 2, Miami 1

Top 25
FSU 13, Clemson 9, ND 4, Miami 4

This type of distribution would be true in any conference. CBS's SEC games always featured a limited number of teams. You might see Alabama playing Mississippi State, but never Mississippi State vs Vanderbilt. One of their chosen 4 was on every week.

(04-15-2018 03:36 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  I've bolded the ACC conference games:

(04-14-2018 07:05 PM)OrangeDude Wrote:  Below are the Top games involving ACC teams during the regular season (ACCCG games count as regular season).

01 - ND vs FSU - 13.25 million viewers
02 - Alabama vs FSU - 12.56 million viewers
03 - OSU vs VT - 10.58 million viewers
04 - GT vs FSU - 10.15 million viewers (2014 ACCCG)
05 - UL vs Clem - 9.29 million viewers
06 - FSU vs Miami - 8.74 million viewers
07 - Ole Miss vs FSU - 8.35 million viewers (neutral site game)
08 - Clem vs UNC - 7.92 million viewers (2015 ACCCG)
09 - ND vs Clem - 7.65 million viewers
10 - FSU vs Clem - 7.56 million viewers
11 - Clem vs FSU - 7.35 million viewers
12 - ND vs Miami - 6.73 million viewers
13 - FLA vs FSU - 6.437 million viewers
14 - FSU vs UL - 6.22 million viewers
15 - FLA vs FSU - 5.96 million viewers
16 - VT vs Tenn - 5.79 million viewers (neutral site game)
17 - ND vs UVA - 5.74 million viewers
18 - FSU vs Miami - 5.54 million viewers
19 - Clem vs Miami - 5.43 million viewers (2017 ACCCG)
20 - FSU vs Clem - 5.38 million viewers
21 - Clem vs VT - 5.34 million viewers (2016 ACCCG)
22 - Tenn vs GT - 5.27 million viewers
23 - Clem vs UL - 5.21 million viewers
24 - FSU vs UL - 4.97 million viewers
25 - Pitt vs Clem - 4.93 million viewers
26 - WVU vs VT - 4.74 million viewers (neutral site game)
27 - Clem vs VT - 4.69 million viewers
28 - Miami vs Pitt - 4.66 million viewers
29 - NCST vs Clem - 4.51 million viewers
30 - ND vs SU - 4.05 million viewers
31 - ND vs Pitt - 3.84 million viewers
32 - ND vs NCST - 3.72 million viewers
33 - Miami vs UL - 3.61 million viewers
34 - UGA vs UNC - 3.53 million viewers
35 - Aub vs Clem - 3.50 million viewers
35 - Miami vs FSU - 3.50 million viewers
37 - GT vs Miami - 3.44 million viewers
38 - UVA vs Miami - 3.34 million viewers
39 - LSU vs SU - 3.20 million viewers
40 - FSU vs BC - 3.15 million viewers

This time out, I present the above data without having a particular point to make about it. So make of the above numbers what you will.

Cheers,
Neil

Big-time non-conference games are always going to get good TV ratings because they bring in viewers from 2 footprints (and often a large national audience, too). Seeing the ACC do this well without outside help is a good sign.

However, there's still a weakness in ACC football... to get a conference football game involving neither Clemson nor FSU, you must drop down all the way to #28. That shows a lack of depth and/or a poor choice of divisions (probably both). In fact, there are only 4 ACC conference games in the top 40 which don't have one of the top 2 teams in the mix.

I'm disappointed in VT/Miami and VT/GT - I would've expected better ratings from those two matchups. One possible mitigating factor is the network: those Clemson and FSU games were probably on ABC, whereas the VT games were probably on ESPN, which gets lower ratings because it's on cable rather than OTA. You could try to normalize the data for network effect, but some would cry foul if you did...

BOTTOM LINE: It is what it is. VT, Miami and GT need to (1) keep winning, and (2) market themselves better.

Need to remove the two FSU / FLA games from the list of ACC Conf games.

7 ND games here out 40 (not counting those at ND and televised by NBC).

Consider that only can entail 5 games a year for the past, what, four years?

So, not bad for the "parasites", eh?

(04-15-2018 03:36 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  I've bolded the ACC conference games:

(04-14-2018 07:05 PM)OrangeDude Wrote:  Below are the Top games involving ACC teams during the regular season (ACCCG games count as regular season).

01 - ND vs FSU - 13.25 million viewers
02 - Alabama vs FSU - 12.56 million viewers
03 - OSU vs VT - 10.58 million viewers
04 - GT vs FSU - 10.15 million viewers (2014 ACCCG)
05 - UL vs Clem - 9.29 million viewers
06 - FSU vs Miami - 8.74 million viewers
07 - Ole Miss vs FSU - 8.35 million viewers (neutral site game)
08 - Clem vs UNC - 7.92 million viewers (2015 ACCCG)
09 - ND vs Clem - 7.65 million viewers
10 - FSU vs Clem - 7.56 million viewers
11 - Clem vs FSU - 7.35 million viewers
12 - ND vs Miami - 6.73 million viewers
13 - FLA vs FSU - 6.437 million viewers
14 - FSU vs UL - 6.22 million viewers
15 - FLA vs FSU - 5.96 million viewers
16 - VT vs Tenn - 5.79 million viewers (neutral site game)
17 - ND vs UVA - 5.74 million viewers
18 - FSU vs Miami - 5.54 million viewers
19 - Clem vs Miami - 5.43 million viewers (2017 ACCCG)
20 - FSU vs Clem - 5.38 million viewers
21 - Clem vs VT - 5.34 million viewers (2016 ACCCG)
22 - Tenn vs GT - 5.27 million viewers
23 - Clem vs UL - 5.21 million viewers
24 - FSU vs UL - 4.97 million viewers
25 - Pitt vs Clem - 4.93 million viewers
26 - WVU vs VT - 4.74 million viewers (neutral site game)
27 - Clem vs VT - 4.69 million viewers
28 - Miami vs Pitt - 4.66 million viewers
29 - NCST vs Clem - 4.51 million viewers
30 - ND vs SU - 4.05 million viewers
31 - ND vs Pitt - 3.84 million viewers
32 - ND vs NCST - 3.72 million viewers
33 - Miami vs UL - 3.61 million viewers
34 - UGA vs UNC - 3.53 million viewers
35 - Aub vs Clem - 3.50 million viewers
35 - Miami vs FSU - 3.50 million viewers
37 - GT vs Miami - 3.44 million viewers
38 - UVA vs Miami - 3.34 million viewers
39 - LSU vs SU - 3.20 million viewers
40 - FSU vs BC - 3.15 million viewers

This time out, I present the above data without having a particular point to make about it. So make of the above numbers what you will.

Cheers,
Neil

Big-time non-conference games are always going to get good TV ratings because they bring in viewers from 2 footprints (and often a large national audience, too). Seeing the ACC do this well without outside help is a good sign.

However, there's still a weakness in ACC football... to get a conference football game involving neither Clemson nor FSU, you must drop down all the way to #28. That shows a lack of depth and/or a poor choice of divisions (probably both). In fact, there are only 4 ACC conference games in the top 40 which don't have one of the top 2 teams in the mix.

I'm disappointed in VT/Miami and VT/GT - I would've expected better ratings from those two matchups. One possible mitigating factor is the network: those Clemson and FSU games were probably on ABC, whereas the VT games were probably on ESPN, which gets lower ratings because it's on cable rather than OTA. You could try to normalize the data for network effect, but some would cry foul if you did...

BOTTOM LINE: It is what it is. VT, Miami and GT need to (1) keep winning, and (2) market themselves better.

Interesting take. Assuming Miami is back on track and will now get back to something resembling at least 80% of the Hurricanes of old, I suspect that the annual VT/Miami game will make future lists like this more often than not. So that will help with the non-FSU-or-Clemson dilemma.

Another potential help to this while keeping the divisions the same might be to switch out the cross-divisional game of Clemson from GT to VT (not going to happen I know) or VT from BC to Louisville (though this might make the Cards conference schedule too brutal to get the desired effect).

So your bottom line may basically be it.

Cheers,
Neil

(04-15-2018 08:03 AM)IHAVETRIED Wrote:  Need to remove the two FSU / FLA games from the list of ACC Conf games.

Oops! Thanks for catching my mistake... it's fixed in post #2 now.

(04-15-2018 07:23 AM)XLance Wrote:  This type of distribution would be true in any conference. CBS's SEC games always featured a limited number of teams. You might see Alabama playing Mississippi State, but never Mississippi State vs Vanderbilt. One of their chosen 4 was on every week.

Well, with the B1G and SEC it is more like the "chosen 6".

Example, in the same time frame, out of 90 games the B1G had on either ABC or FOX, the distribution went like this:

Ohio State - 16
Michigan - 12
Michigan State - 9
Nebraska - 9
Wisconsin - 9
Penn State - 7 (hurt by sanctions for three out of the four years)

Games featuring match-ups between programs in the above list - 24

Only 4 games did not feature at least one of those 6 programs.

Cheers,
Neil

(04-15-2018 08:33 AM)TerryD Wrote:  7 ND games here out 40 (not counting those at ND and televised by NBC).

Consider that only can entail 5 games a year for the past, what, four years?

So, not bad for the "parasites", eh?

Well, this was the specific point I was attempting to address when I first did the analysis.

Interestingly enough, of the 9 ND/ACC games that have aired on NBC, only one would have made the Top 40 list, that being the GT/ND game that drew 3.7 million viewers placing it #33 and knocking off the FSU/BC game.

I imagine that with FSU coming to South Bend, a second one could be added if it were allowed.

Cheers,
Neil

I notice only one Boston College game, because they were playing FSU and one North Carolina State game, because they were playing Clemson. Duke and Wake Forest had no games. Seems Boston College, North Carolina State, Duke and Wake Forest need to improve football game.

(04-16-2018 07:32 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:   I notice only one Boston College game, because they were playing FSU and one North Carolina State game, because they were playing Clemson. Duke and Wake Forest had no games. Seems Boston College, North Carolina State, Duke and Wake Forest need to improve football game.

Three of those schools have smaller student bodies, smaller fan bases. They will never have a large loyal following, but they can have T-shirt fans (like Miami and Notre Dame). To get that you need to have a legitimate potential to at least play for the national championship, IMO.

(04-17-2018 01:16 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  

(04-16-2018 07:32 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:   I notice only one Boston College game, because they were playing FSU and one North Carolina State game, because they were playing Clemson. Duke and Wake Forest had no games. Seems Boston College, North Carolina State, Duke and Wake Forest need to improve football game.

Three of those schools have smaller student bodies, smaller fan bases. They will never have a large loyal following, but they can have T-shirt fans (like Miami and Notre Dame). To get that you need to have a legitimate potential to at least play for the national championship, IMO.

Agree

Definitely a bit problematic that FSU and Clemson (and ND) so dominate the list, but Clemson most definitely wouldn't have been considered anywhere near the ratings juggernaut say 10 years ago that it is today. So there's a chance for others to step up, although I don't know that anyone is nearly as positioned to do so as Clemson was.

The ACC is just never going to have the depth of draw at the top that the SEC and B1G do, it just is what it is, and is much more going to be in line with the PAC and B12 with a couple of dominant draws.

(04-17-2018 10:51 AM)Lou_C Wrote:  Definitely a bit problematic that FSU and Clemson (and ND) so dominate the list, but Clemson most definitely wouldn't have been considered anywhere near the ratings juggernaut say 10 years ago that it is today. So there's a chance for others to step up, although I don't know that anyone is nearly as positioned to do so as Clemson was.

The ACC is just never going to have the depth of draw at the top that the SEC and B1G do, it just is what it is, and is much more going to be in line with the PAC and B12 with a couple of dominant draws.

I’ve always thought that UNC could have the Clemson scenario happen to them. They have a large fan base, a good brand, nice stadium and are in a talent rich area. I just don’t get why they’ve had such a hard time.

(04-17-2018 09:13 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(04-17-2018 10:51 AM)Lou_C Wrote:  Definitely a bit problematic that FSU and Clemson (and ND) so dominate the list, but Clemson most definitely wouldn't have been considered anywhere near the ratings juggernaut say 10 years ago that it is today. So there's a chance for others to step up, although I don't know that anyone is nearly as positioned to do so as Clemson was.

The ACC is just never going to have the depth of draw at the top that the SEC and B1G do, it just is what it is, and is much more going to be in line with the PAC and B12 with a couple of dominant draws.

I’ve always thought that UNC could have the Clemson scenario happen to them. They have a large fan base, a good brand, nice stadium and are in a talent rich area. I just don’t get why they’ve had such a hard time.

The administration at Carolina is not 100% supportive of "big time" football, especially after the events that surrounded Butch Davis' coaching tenure.

Note this is for most years. My Ranking of ACC Football Iiers in Alpha order plus Notre Dame:

Tier 1
Clemson
Florida State
Louisville
Miami
Notre Dame
Virginia Tech

Tier 2
Duke
Georgia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Pittsburgh
Syracuse
Virginia

Tier 3
Boston College
Wake Forest

Of course this just my opinion.

(04-18-2018 03:03 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  Note this is for most years. My Ranking of ACC Football Iiers in Alpha order plus Notre Dame:

Tier 1
Clemson
Florida State
Louisville
Miami
Notre Dame
Virginia Tech

Tier 2
Duke
Georgia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Pittsburgh
Syracuse
Virginia

Tier 3
Boston College
Wake Forest

Of course this just my opinion.

Two problems.

Notre Dame isn't part of ACC football except for stealing bowl bids away from conference teams.

There's absolutely no way Louisville is higher in the pecking order than Miami & Virginia Tech.

(04-18-2018 05:00 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-18-2018 03:03 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  Note this is for most years. My Ranking of ACC Football Iiers in Alpha order plus Notre Dame:

Tier 1
Clemson
Florida State
Louisville
Miami
Notre Dame
Virginia Tech

Tier 2
Duke
Georgia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Pittsburgh
Syracuse
Virginia

Tier 3
Boston College
Wake Forest

Of course this just my opinion.

Two problems.

Notre Dame isn't part of ACC football except for stealing bowl bids away from conference teams.

There's absolutely no way Louisville is higher in the pecking order than Miami & Virginia Tech.

I believe Wilkie came up with his three tiers and then presented each grouping in alphabetical order.

Cheers,
Neil