I should have had this up long in advance of Thursday’s 2009 BCS game, but better late than never. The college football championship game ratings have been remarkably consistent compared to other big sports championship. Depending on when you read this, you’ve still got a chance to guess at this years numbers before the ratings for Thursday’s game are available on Friday. I will update this chart when the final numbers are in for 2009.
Complete College Football Championship TV Ratings, 1991-2008:
| Year | Bowl | Network | Rating | Share | Homes (million) | Viewers (million) | Teams |
| 2008 | BCS | FOX | 14.4 | 22 | 16.291 | 23.069 | LSU vs. Ohio State |
| 2007 | BCS | FOX | 17.4 | 27 | 19.378 | 28.795 | Florida vs. Ohio State |
| 2006 | Rose | ABC | 21.7 | 35 | 23.928 | 35.630 | Texas vs. USC |
| 2005 | Orange | ABC | 13.7 | 22 | 14.996 | 21.419 | USC vs. Oklahoma |
| 2004 | Sugar | ABC | 14.8 | 23 | 16.047 | 23.937 | LSU vs. Oklahoma |
| 2003 | Fiesta | ABC | 17.2 | 29 | 18.385 | 29.104 | Ohio State vs. Miami |
| 2002 | Rose | ABC | 13.8 | 22 | 14.548 | 21.559 | Miami (Florida) vs Nebraska |
| 2001 | Orange | ABC | 17.8 | 28 | 18.200 | 27.240 | Oklahoma vs. Florida State |
| 2000 | Sugar | ABC | 17.5 | 28 | 17.680 | 26.962 | Florida State vs Virginia Tech |
| 1999 | Fiesta | ABC | 17.2 | 26 | 17.081 | 26.112 | Tennessee vs Florida State |
| 1998 | Rose | ABC | 17.6 | 32 | 17.294 | 28.989 | Michigan vs Washington State |
| 1997 | Sugar | ABC | 17.9 | 29 | 17.330 | 25.735 | Florida vs Florida State |
| 1996 | Fiesta | CBS | 18.8 | 31 | 18.030 | 27.883 | Nebraska vs Florida |
| 1995 | Orange | NBC | 18.9 | 31 | 18.031 | 30.000 | Nebraska vs Miami (Florida) |
| 1994 | Orange | NBC | 17.8 | 31 | 16.768 | 28.814 | Florida State vs Nebraska |
| 1993 | Sugar | ABC | 18.2 | 31 | 16.940 | 30.136 | Alabama vs Miami (Florida) |
| 1992 | Orange | NBC | 11.0 | 18 | 10.130 | 16.591 | Miami (Florida) vs Nebraska |
| 1991 | Orange | NBC | 18.3 | 30 | 17.040 | 29.600 | Colorado vs Notre Dame |
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2006-2008 data is Live+SD viewing. Prior years are Live viewing.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
January 8th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Go Gators!
January 9th, 2009 at 3:59 am
Now that the game is moving to ESPN (next year’s may still be on ABC as scheduled, but I hope they’ll move it)…how about a 7:00 or 7:30 start time? 8:15 is ridiculously late.
January 9th, 2009 at 4:32 am
i think the game will do a 19 average rating if its close.
January 9th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Next year’s game is on Fox.
ESPN gets the BCS starting in 2011.
January 9th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Fred: ABC has it next year because it’s at the Rose Bowl. This has been the plan since the BCS started.
January 9th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Chris, you are wrong. Fred is right.
ABC has the Rose Bowl, which is played on Jan. 1st. Fox has every other BCS bowl game, including the championship game, which just happens to be played at the Rose Bowl. Fox will broadcast the BCS game in 2010.
Basically, the 2010 BCS Championship game is NOT the same thing as the 2010 Rose Bowl.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Steven, I have three sources that say ABC airs the ‘10 BCS game.
Chicago Tribune
Washington Post
Sports Business Daily
Make it four: NewsOK.com/The Oklahoman
January 19th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Steven: I *know* the Rose Bowl and BCS game are different. I have a comment right before this awaiting moderation (and, guys, take your time, I know you’re busy) that provides sources to ABC’s airing of this game.