(10-26-2026 02:02 PM)sigke Wrote:  

(10-26-2026 10:19 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  Ok show me some ESPNU games with good ratings...

I think you are missing my point. I didn't say game on ESPNU have good ratings. [b]I'm saying a game on ESPNU gives a good snapshot of how much a team's own fans really care compared to other games on ESPNU.

True fans are going to find their team on ESPNU and watch.

ESPN and ESPN2 get a bunch of college football fans who just want to watch a college football game. So you don't know how many are true fans of the teams playing vs those who watch whatever game in on ESPN.

However, with ESPNU; the people watching are typically fans of the teams playing. Few casual fans turn on ESPNU.

That's my point.

So if theres 60k fans watching Game A and 100k fans watching Game B, do those 60k fans watching Game A care less than the 100k watching Game B?

If you're trying to say it might be a measure of a team's overall fanbase then I could see that.

Either way my overall point was that ESPNU games don't get good viewership and that's a fact.

(10-26-2026 02:27 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(10-26-2026 02:02 PM)sigke Wrote:  

(10-26-2026 10:19 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  Ok show me some ESPNU games with good ratings...

I think you are missing my point. I didn't say game on ESPNU have good ratings. [b]I'm saying a game on ESPNU gives a good snapshot of how much a team's own fans really care compared to other games on ESPNU.

True fans are going to find their team on ESPNU and watch.

ESPN and ESPN2 get a bunch of college football fans who just want to watch a college football game. So you don't know how many are true fans of the teams playing vs those who watch whatever game in on ESPN.

However, with ESPNU; the people watching are typically fans of the teams playing. Few casual fans turn on ESPNU.

That's my point.

So if theres 60k fans watching Game A and 100k fans watching Game B, do those 60k fans watching Game A care less than the 100k watching Game B?

If you're trying to say it might be a measure of a team's overall fanbase then I could see that.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. It can be used a gauge for a team's overall fanbase.

Quote:Either way my overall point was that ESPNU games don't get good viewership and that's a fact.

Yes, I know and agree. ESPNU is a Tier 2 cable channel so many people don't have it.

All ESPN U viewership numbers for all games

449K - OK State @ Tulsa - Week 1 (P4)
366K - JMU @ App St - Week 8
250K - LIU @ Kansas - Week 1 (P4)
242K - App St @ NC State - Week 4 (P4)
236K - FIU @ Jax State - Week 7
198K - Bowling Green @ Iowa St - Week 3 (P4)
189K - Liberty @ JMU - Week 1
189K - JMU @ San Diego St - Week 3
188K - App St @ ECU - Week 2
174K - Idaho @ Utah - Week 1 (P4)
172K - Mo State @ Delaware - Week 8
162K - Richmond @ NC State - Week 2 (P4)
143K - UL Monroe @ Miss State - Week 1 (P4)
105K - Middle Tennessee @ Kansas - Week 5 (P4)
105K - LA Tech @ Baylor - Week 3 (P4)
100K - Navy @ UTSA - Week 7
094K - UNLV @ North Texas - Week 2
088K - Marshall @ JMU - Week 5
085K - Colorado St @ UTSA - Week 4
081K - Sam Houston @ Liberty - Week 6
080K - Houston @ Georgia Southern - Week 4 (P4)
079K - Arkansas St @ TCU - Week 3 (P4)
078K - Temple @ USF - Week 5
075K - Georgia St @ JMU - Week 7
060K - UConn @ Temple - Week 6
060K - JMU @ Georgia Sourthern - Week 6
058K - Rice @ FAU - Week 8
048K - Navy @ FAU - Week 2
034K - UTSA @ Tulane - Week 8
032K - Eastern Michigan @ Ohio - Week 8

Bold = CUSA game
Italics = game with P4 team

So, with attendance going down across the board in college football are the TV viewership numbers trending up ?

Just found this thread.
Good conversation. A couple notes -- on the last question, Mandel in the Athletic noted some drop in CFB viewers from '25 to '26

Also, I know sportsmediawatch is the go-to. This site includes PAC's USA network and a couple others Paulsen hadn't swept up and has some of the numbers with multiple methods (straight Nielsen, "big data")

https://tvmediablog.substack.com/

(11-04-2026 11:29 AM)AAC.TV.Talk Wrote:  Just found this thread.
Good conversation. A couple notes -- on the last question, Mandel in the Athletic noted some drop in CFB viewers from '25 to '26

Also, I know sportsmediawatch is the go-to. This site includes PAC's USA network and a couple others Paulsen hadn't swept up and has some of the numbers with multiple methods (straight Nielsen, "big data")

https://tvmediablog.substack.com/

Thank you! I've seen that site before and was searching for it, but couldn't remember it. I will add USA Network G6 games to the list.

List now updated with USA and FS1 results for G6vsG6 & G6vFCS games.

Thanks!