As I wrote yesterday morning, an 8 team playoff is inevitable. And soon. When any product is this marketable, and profitable, you are guaranteed to see more of it. Ohio State versus Oregon last night was the most viewed program in cable history. Below you’ll see the top 20 list (chart below).
Notice that it’s all ESPN and it’s all college football and Monday Night Football. This just gives more credence to Bill Walton’s idea that ESPN is really in charge when it comes to the collegiate gridiron.
As was widely reported, ESPN’s Monday Night Football saw its rating plummet this season. Which is odd when you consider that FOX and NBC are claiming that their NFL ratings are as strong as ever.
However, you have to look at the big picture, ESPN was the most-watched cable network in primetime in 2014. The network followed up that milestone with its most-viewed week ever (Monday, Dec. 29, 2014 – Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015). ESPN has now televised the Top 3, and four of the Top 9, most-watched programs in cable history over the past 11 days, while claiming every telecast in cable’s all-time Top 20.
Also remember that SportsCenter, if it stood alone, would be the fifth highest rated cable network. Also, the second highest rated sports network, by a wide margin, is actually ESPN2.
Kudos to Ohio State by the way, for claiming both the #1 and #2 spots.
Top 20 Most-Viewed Programs in Cable Television (Viewers)
|
Rank |
Date |
Program |
Network |
Viewers |
|
1. |
01/12/2015 |
CFB/National Championship: Oregon- Ohio State ^ |
ESPN |
33,395 |
|
2. |
01/01/2015 |
CFB/Sugar Bowl: Alabama- Ohio State ^^ |
ESPN |
28,271 |
|
3. |
01/01/2015 |
CFB/Rose Bowl: Oregon-Florida St. ^^ |
ESPN |
28,164 |
|
4. |
01/10/2011 |
CFB/BCS Champ: Oregon-Auburn |
ESPN |
27,316 |
|
5. |
01/07/2013 |
CFB/BCS Champ: Alabama-Notre Dame |
ESPN |
26,380 |
|
6. |
01/06/2014 |
CFB/BCS Champ: Florida St.-Auburn |
ESPN |
25,572 |
|
7. |
01/09/2012 |
CFB/BCS Champ: Alabama-LSU |
ESPN |
24,214 |
|
8. |
10/05/2009 |
NFL MNF: Green Bay-Minnesota |
ESPN |
21,839 |
|
9. |
01/03/2015 |
NFL Wild Card: Arizona-Carolina^^^ |
ESPN |
21,678 |
|
10. |
11/30/2009 |
NFL MNF: New England-New Orleans |
ESPN |
21,402 |
|
11. |
01/01/2011 |
CFB/Rose Bowl: TCU-Wisconsin |
ESPN |
20,558 |
|
12. |
12/27/2010 |
NFL MNF: New Orleans-Atlanta |
ESPN |
19,137 |
|
13. |
10/27/2014 |
NFL MNF: Washington-Dallas |
ESPN |
18,809 |
|
14. |
01/01/2014 |
CFB/Rose Bowl: Stanford-Michigan State |
ESPN |
18,636 |
|
15. |
09/15/2008 |
NFL MNF: Philadelphia-Dallas |
ESPN |
18,608 |
|
16. |
10/25/2010 |
NFL MNF: NY Giants-Dallas |
ESPN |
17,953 |
|
17. |
01/02/2012 |
CFB/Rose Bowl: Wisconsin-Oregon |
ESPN |
17,558 |
|
18. |
12/03/2007 |
NFL MNF: New England-Baltimore |
ESPN |
17,522 |
|
19. |
09/27/2010 |
NFL MNF: Green Bay-Chicago |
ESPN |
17,454 |
|
20. |
10/11/2010 |
NFL MNF: Minnesota-NY Jets |
ESPN |
17,313 |
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports, Yardbarker Network, eBay and CBS Interactive Inc.
You can read Banks’ feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition and listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)