https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2021/01...iewership/
Semifinals didn't do well.

"The College Football Playoff semifinals averaged their smallest New Year’s Day audience yet, but the numbers were still the best for any non-NFL sporting event since sports went dark last March....."

(01-07-2021 08:20 PM)bullet Wrote:  https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2021/01...iewership/
Semifinals didn't do well.

"The College Football Playoff semifinals averaged their smallest New Year’s Day audience yet, but the numbers were still the best for any non-NFL sporting event since sports went dark last March....."

both games being blowouts didn't help.

Graphic for championship game viewership since 1999:
https://www.sportico.com/business/media/...234620046/

I'm guessing the 2nd half ratings won't be as good as the 1st half.

I consider myself a pretty big college football fan and even I only watched about half of this one. I’m sure the ratings will still be great but I was neither excited to tune in nor bothered when I turned it off in the 3rd quarter.

The game was over at halftime so I believe the numbers will crater after the half.

(01-12-2021 11:44 AM)ah59396 Wrote:  I consider myself a pretty big college football fan and even I only watched about half of this one. I’m sure the ratings will still be great but I was neither excited to tune in nor bothered when I turned it off in the 3rd quarter.

I watched most of it, but I wasn't excited enough to turn it on before late in the 1st quarter. Just didn't generate much excitement.

I watched about 10 mins of the game...just not in the mood

Looks like its down....quite a bit. 18.7 million. Previous low for the NCG was 21.4 in 2004.



Stewart Mandel
@slmandel
ESPN says last night's national championship game drew 18.7 million viewers. That is .... yeesh.

Per
@paulsen_smw
, the previous low for a BCS or CFP title game was 21.4M for USC 55, Oklahoma 19 in 2004.
5:08 PM

Probably because average Joe's like myself don't have much interest if either of these 2 teams win or lose... It's just "muh" now.

(01-12-2021 08:04 PM)Otacon Wrote:  Probably because average Joe's like myself don't have much interest if either of these 2 teams win or lose... It's just "muh" now.

I think two things will help.

1) Go to the 5-1-2 eight team playoff format.

2) Drop the FBS total scholarship limit to 70 per school---and 20 per year.

The first makes sure every portion of the country has a rooting interest and insures that the forgotten third of the hard core college football viewing audience (the 65 G5 team fan bases) is engaged in the CFP process.

The second forces the talent to be more dispersed and less concentrated hopefully resulting a more interesting race every year.

(01-12-2021 08:19 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(01-12-2021 08:04 PM)Otacon Wrote:  Probably because average Joe's like myself don't have much interest if either of these 2 teams win or lose... It's just "muh" now.

I think two things will help.

1) Go to the 5-1-2 eight team playoff format.

2) Drop the FBS total scholarship limit to 70 per school---and 20 per year.

The first makes sure every portion of the country has a rooting interest and insures that the forgotten third of the hard core college football viewing audience (the 65 G5 team fan bases) is engaged in the CFP process.

The second forces the talent to be more dispersed and less concentrated hopefully resulting a more interesting race every year.

The two points were mentioned in this USA Today article on how to break up Alabama's monopoly:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...630094002/

Tanked... as expected.

Blowouts plus SEC/Saban overkill is killing the CFP. They need to force Saban to retire and spread out the talent a little more. Unfortunately there is no good solution for this. The sport was hurt by COVID no question.

I also think the lack of rekindled rivalries due to all the realignment moves the past ten years (might be fixable long term) along with schools breaking long held partnerships have really hurt the sport with traditionalists. It’s a double whammy.

(01-12-2021 08:28 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(01-12-2021 08:19 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(01-12-2021 08:04 PM)Otacon Wrote:  Probably because average Joe's like myself don't have much interest if either of these 2 teams win or lose... It's just "muh" now.

I think two things will help.

1) Go to the 5-1-2 eight team playoff format.

2) Drop the FBS total scholarship limit to 70 per school---and 20 per year.

The first makes sure every portion of the country has a rooting interest and insures that the forgotten third of the hard core college football viewing audience (the 65 G5 team fan bases) is engaged in the CFP process.

The second forces the talent to be more dispersed and less concentrated hopefully resulting a more interesting race every year.

The two points were mentioned in this USA Today article on how to break up Alabama's monopoly:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...630094002/

Single platoon football would make it ever more so....watch the movie, "The Express". Ernie Davis played defense too while winning the Heisman as a running back.

(01-12-2021 08:44 PM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(01-12-2021 08:28 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(01-12-2021 08:19 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(01-12-2021 08:04 PM)Otacon Wrote:  Probably because average Joe's like myself don't have much interest if either of these 2 teams win or lose... It's just "muh" now.

I think two things will help.

1) Go to the 5-1-2 eight team playoff format.

2) Drop the FBS total scholarship limit to 70 per school---and 20 per year.

The first makes sure every portion of the country has a rooting interest and insures that the forgotten third of the hard core college football viewing audience (the 65 G5 team fan bases) is engaged in the CFP process.

The second forces the talent to be more dispersed and less concentrated hopefully resulting a more interesting race every year.

The two points were mentioned in this USA Today article on how to break up Alabama's monopoly:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...630094002/

Single platoon football would make it ever more so....watch the movie, "The Express". Ernie Davis played defense too while winning the Heisman as a running back.

Going back to single platoon football would inevitably lead to smaller, lighter, players as endurance would be more important than power or speed. Playing 11 guys also means depth becomes irrelevant, AND recruits would quickly lose interest in being the 2nd string at a football factory when they could start at another school.

Problem: the schools who make the most money know this too.

It think the right word for this is fatigue.

People are beginning to get tired of seeing the same teams over and over again. It’s literally mid January, people are more interested in the NFL playoffs at this point than the college football championship and probably it wouldn’t hurt putting the game on ABC rather than on ESPN.

(01-12-2021 09:13 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  It think the right word for this is fatigue.

People are beginning to get tired of seeing the same teams over and over again. It’s literally mid January, people are more interested in the NFL playoffs at this point than the college football championship and probably it wouldn’t hurt putting the game on ABC rather than on ESPN.

Dont think so.

“Despite having two extra games during the wildcard round the playoffs this season, interest was not there from football fans around the United States. According to Sportico, ratings for the games were down 25% on Saturday compared to last year and 20% on Sunday. That’s a major downtick in ratings for the NFL.”

Source:Sportsnaut.com

Are the ratings incorporating the consolidation of households due to Covid? I know tons of people from condos in downtowns who have temporarily moved in with friends and family in the burbs. Lots of college students who might have watched separately are stuck at home. And how do they account for viewership at bars?

(01-12-2021 08:44 PM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(01-12-2021 08:28 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(01-12-2021 08:19 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(01-12-2021 08:04 PM)Otacon Wrote:  Probably because average Joe's like myself don't have much interest if either of these 2 teams win or lose... It's just "muh" now.

I think two things will help.

1) Go to the 5-1-2 eight team playoff format.

2) Drop the FBS total scholarship limit to 70 per school---and 20 per year.

The first makes sure every portion of the country has a rooting interest and insures that the forgotten third of the hard core college football viewing audience (the 65 G5 team fan bases) is engaged in the CFP process.

The second forces the talent to be more dispersed and less concentrated hopefully resulting a more interesting race every year.

The two points were mentioned in this USA Today article on how to break up Alabama's monopoly:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...630094002/

Single platoon football would make it ever more so....watch the movie, "The Express". Ernie Davis played defense too while winning the Heisman as a running back.

Single platoon would break some of the NFL control over programs. It would also decrease costs for the schools. It would end the excessive weight some players put on.

And imagine if players had to face each other on opposite sides? A QB/CB trying to pass against a QB/CB? A linebacker/RB tackling a RB/linebacker who would have a shot at him later?

People will pounce on these numbers to push their agendas about playoffs, recruiting etc., but bottom line is this is a virus year so hard to draw implications from.