How bad are ACC football tv ratings?

[Rufus]

If the B1G wants FSU, I think FSU is better off in the B1G than the SEC. With the number of B1G alumni in Florida combined with the rabid fan base of FSU, those games will be instant attractions that no other school in the southeast can offer. FSU can continue to play Florida (and Miami) as non-conference games (Miami could end up in the B1G too). FSU vs. Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, USC, etc….those will be huge tv ratings games.

The academic side of the B1G would be a net gain for FSU as well. Supposedly, FSU is on the cusp of AAU membership.

 

[Luna]

$6M would be incredibly disappointing. I would hope they can get it to $9-10M

I was thinking we were going to make more also.. but I’ve read that basketball is around 10 to 15% of a conferences total tv contract.. so if a school is making 30 million a year 20% of that would be 6 million.. I think we probably will do better then that..but how much better

 

[jostar1]

The ACC and the Pac are not going to merge. Not sure why we're giving mh ver 3 any credence on his BS.

The story was in Forbes.

"It was actually the ACC and more to the point the University of North Carolina that brought up the idea. Andrew Carter of The News & Observer, last summer reported that university leadership at North Carolina floated the idea of a “super conference” between the ACC and Pac-12

“Should we explore a partnership with the Big 12 or Pac 12[?]” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham texted university chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz.

“We could have a super conference both athletically and academically,” Guskiewicz responded. “Probably would need to be called the Atlantic-Pacific Athletic Conference (APAC). Maybe that’s crazy, but if it would get us a better TV deal, it may be worth considering,” he continued.

“We need to think about what outcomes we want? What are our priorities? Do we want to maintain all teams in the ACC? Is this a new league? Do we want to have the same number of teams at each school? Should we play a national schedule or regional schedule?” Cunningham questioned..

There remains an open channel between the ACC and The Pac-12 about ways they can work together in the future. Merger talks are not a dream or a media hyped story there is clearly room for some serious conversations."

The Pac 12’s Leadership Needs To Ink A New Media Deal Then Start ACC Merger Talks.

Now Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff goal is to work with Amazon, ESPN, and a few potential mystery partners in the hopes of beating the Big 12 deal done with Fox and ESPN that pays about $31.7 million per school for the next six years.

www.forbes.com

 

[UConnJim]

I get all that, but I'm looking for actual data-driven info not broad statements.

OK. FSU 2022 football games TV ratings. (highlighted SEC games):

1. Duquesne @ FSU: no rating - on ACCN
2. LSU vs. FSU: 7.55 million - ABC
3. FSU @ Louisville: 2.75 million - Friday night on ESPN
4. BC @ FSU: no rating - on ACCN
5. Wake Forest @ FSU: 2.48 million - ABC
6. FSU @ NC State: no rating - on ACCN
7. Clemson @ FSU: 3.38 million - ABC
8. GT @ FSU: no rating - on ACCN
9. FSU @ Miami: 1.5 million - ABC
10. FSU @ Syracuse: no rating - on ACCN
11. Louisiana @ FSU: no rating - on RSN/ESPN+
12. Florida @ FSU: 6.7 million - ABC

Summary:

4 ACC games that were rated = 10.11 million total viewers, average = 2.53 million viewers
2 SEC games that were rated = 14.25 million total viewers, average = 7.13 million viewers

So, would ESPN like more FSU games against the SEC or the ACC?

 

[Ldandy]

When it's a nice autumn weekend I am rarely if ever sitting in the house watching tv. Definitely not in the afternoon. Winter time? What else is there to do but look for a good college hoops game, or a good movie. Amirite?

To each his own. When I'm not at my team's game I'm glued to my TV from 12 PM to 12:30 AM. I simply love college football and you only get so many weekends. My wife can go pick pumpkins with her friends.

 

[Ldandy]

If the B1G wants FSU, I think FSU is better off in the B1G than the SEC. With the number of B1G alumni in Florida combined with the rabid fan base of FSU, those games will be instant attractions that no other school in the southeast can offer. FSU can continue to play Florida (and Miami) as non-conference games (Miami could end up in the B1G too). FSU vs. Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, USC, etc….those will be huge tv ratings games.

The academic side of the B1G would be a net gain for FSU as well. Supposedly, FSU is on the cusp of AAU membership.

I've warmed up to the idea of FSU in The B1G. I think it would be mutually beneficial for both parties. While the majority of their fans would likely choose the SEC over The B1G, as they see it as a more natural fit, I believe that the academic ties and exposure of the program more nationally than regionally would be huge for the perception of the university as a whole.

To me FSU in The SEC will perpetually be viewed as the secondary team in their conference. They are Texas A&M, Auburn, MSU etc. These schools are important, but they are the supporting player to their more prominent counterpart. In the B1G FSU will be THE program in the state of Florida. Recruiting won't suffer as they will still play 7-8 games in state not to mention a steady diet of big-time games in key time slots. Playing OSU in Doak at 3:30, PSU in a Whiteout, UM at Noon in The Big House. USC in The Coliseum. These will draw MASSIVE ratings across FOX/CBS/NBC.

I'm not surprised that FSU drew really good ratings when facing SEC Teams. UF is a rivalry, and LSU was a Kickoff Classic Type Contest. Both were viewed as big inter-conference matchups with national implications. Both schools also have big fan bases. What did surprise me was how abysmal the ratings were for Miami. I know that they were hot garbage last season, but they still should have been able to sell the game as a key rivalry with Miami trying to play spoiler on FSU's Season. The rest of The ACC outside of Clemson, Louisville, and occasionally one of VPI, UNC, UVA, WFU or NCSU are dreck. They are literally Ratings Poison. No doubt in my mind that FSU v. Purdue, UMD, NW or whatever B1G lower tier opponent could draw Wake Forest Numbers in a good broadcast spot.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

OK. FSU 2022 football games TV ratings. (highlighted SEC games):

1. Duquesne @ FSU: no rating - on ACCN
2. LSU vs. FSU: 7.55 million - ABC
3. FSU @ Louisville: 2.75 million - Friday night on ESPN
4. BC @ FSU: no rating - on ACCN
5. Wake Forest @ FSU: 2.48 million - ABC
6. FSU @ NC State: no rating - on ACCN
7. Clemson @ FSU: 3.38 million - ABC
8. GT @ FSU: no rating - on ACCN
9. FSU @ Miami: 1.5 million - ABC
10. FSU @ Syracuse: no rating - on ACCN
11. Louisiana @ FSU: no rating - on RSN/ESPN+
12. Florida @ FSU: 6.7 million - ABC

Summary:

4 ACC games that were rated = 10.11 million total viewers, average = 2.53 million viewers
2 SEC games that were rated = 14.25 million total viewers, average = 7.13 million viewers

So, would ESPN like more FSU games against the SEC or the ACC?

Thanks for the info! Certainly, games with an upper tier SEC team is going to have really nice numbers when on one of the big over the air networks. I know FSU drives good numbers but when you look at B1G games and Notre Dame numbers when on over the air networks they are even more impressive than SEC ratings (hence the B1G media payouts being higher than the SEC's). Seems you are a FSU follower - do you know if their fanbase would rather see them in the SEC or the B1G? I aso wonder how B1G fans versus SEC versus casual/neutral fans would respond with eyeballs on games involving FSU? In other words, where would they best drive incremental revenue?

 

[Slasher]

The story was in Forbes.

"It was actually the ACC and more to the point the University of North Carolina that brought up the idea. Andrew Carter of The News & Observer, last summer reported that university leadership at North Carolina floated the idea of a “super conference” between the ACC and Pac-12

“Should we explore a partnership with the Big 12 or Pac 12[?]” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham texted university chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz.

“We could have a super conference both athletically and academically,” Guskiewicz responded. “Probably would need to be called the Atlantic-Pacific Athletic Conference (APAC). Maybe that’s crazy, but if it would get us a better TV deal, it may be worth considering,” he continued.

“We need to think about what outcomes we want? What are our priorities? Do we want to maintain all teams in the ACC? Is this a new league? Do we want to have the same number of teams at each school? Should we play a national schedule or regional schedule?” Cunningham questioned..

There remains an open channel between the ACC and The Pac-12 about ways they can work together in the future. Merger talks are not a dream or a media hyped story there is clearly room for some serious conversations."

The Pac 12’s Leadership Needs To Ink A New Media Deal Then Start ACC Merger Talks.

Now Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff goal is to work with Amazon, ESPN, and a few potential mystery partners in the hopes of beating the Big 12 deal done with Fox and ESPN that pays about $31.7 million per school for the next six years.

www.forbes.com

Regardless, MH ver 3 is just an aggregator. And this still isn't going to happen even if someone at UNC floated it. There's no way it leads to more TV value and there's no way ESPN agrees to it. ESPN can have the Pac 12 for pennies right now and doesn't want to do it.

 

[UConnJim]

Thanks for the info! Certainly, games with an upper tier SEC team is going to have really nice numbers when on one of the big over the air networks. I know FSU drives good numbers but when you look at B1G games and Notre Dame numbers when on over the air networks they are even more impressive than SEC ratings (hence the B1G media payouts being higher than the SEC's). Seems you are a FSU follower - do you know if their fanbase would rather see them in the SEC or the B1G? I aso wonder how B1G fans versus SEC versus casual/neutral fans would respond with eyeballs on games involving FSU? In other words, where would they best drive incremental revenue?

Actually, the Notre Dame TV ratings are solid unless they are playing one of the top football powers and then they post really good ratings:

ND @ Ohio St.: 10.53 million - ABC
Marshall @ ND: 2.48 million - NBC
Cal @ ND: 2.91 million - NBC
ND @ UNC: 3.46 million - ABC
BYU @ ND: 2.53 million - NBC
Stanford @ ND: 2.15 million - NBC
UNLV @ ND: no rating - on Peacock
ND @ Syracuse: 2.34 million - ABC
Clemson @ ND: 3.22 million - NBC
ND @ Navy: 2.07 million - ABC
BC @ ND: 1.27 million - NBC
ND @ USC: 6.68 million - ABC

Notre Dame's games were all of major networks (except UNLV) and the ratings for the two P2 teams (USC is a future P2) blew out the other games.

ND vs P2 = 17.21 million viewers = 8.6 million viewers per game.

ND vs ACC opponents = 10.29 million viewers = 2.57 million viewers per game.

ND vs non-ACC or P2 opponents = 12.14 million viewers = 2.43 million viewers per game


Playing ACC teams doesn't really move the needle for ND ratings.

Here are the top 15 regular season games by viewers:

1) Michigan/Ohio St.: 17.1 million
2) Tennessee/Georgia: 13.1 million
3) Alabama/Tennessee: 11.6 million
4) Alabama/Texas: 10.6 million
5) ND/Ohio St.: 10.5 million
6) Alabama/Ole Miss: 8.7 million
7) Ohio St./Penn St.: 8.3 million
8) Alabama/LSU: 7.6 million
9) FSU/LSU: 7.55 million
10) Texas A&M/Alabama: 7.2 million
11) Florida/FSU: 6.7 million
12) ND/USC: 6.7 million
13) Ohio St./Maryland: 6.6 million
14) Penn St./Michigan: 6.5 million
15) Auburn/Alabama: 6.3 million

Schools with more than 1 appearance on list:
Alabama: 6x
Ohio St.: 4x
FSU: 2x
LSU: 2x
Michigan: 2x
ND: 2x
Penn St.: 2x
Tennessee: 2x

Top 15 rated games by future conference:
SEC: 16
Big 10: 10
ACC: 2
ND; 2
Big 12: 0
Pac 12: 0