Fox Sports 1 Update

[stever20]

Ohio State-Michigan capped a milestone year for the FOX “Big Noon Saturday” window, which averaged 5.76 million viewers — up 13% from 2019 (5.11M) and the top college football window on any network. This is the first time that FOX has aired the highest rated college football window, a distinction that had previously been the exclusive domain of the SEC on CBS or ABC’s Saturday Night Football.

Overall, FOX averaged 3.90 million viewers for college football games during the regular season, up 5% from ’19 (3.73M) and its most-watched season yet.

ESPN made a few head scratching selections which impacted things. Not getting either of the top OOC games- ND/Wisconsin or Oregon/Ohio St.

Really going to be interesting to see if the Big Ten totally were to leave ESPN. Either totally for Fox or probably more likely CBS to replace the SEC.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

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Duke's thrilling win over Gonzaga was most-watched regular season college basketball game since 2019 - Chris Cwik, Yahoo! Sports - December 2, 2021

Sports fans spent the entirety of Thanksgiving weekend watching whatever game was on their television. Duke's thrilling three-point win over Gonzaga reportedly drew 2.8 million followers, the highest amount for a regular-season college game since 2019, according to ESPN. That "most-watched" claim does not include NCAA Tournament games.

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Context: Fewer Viewers for Selection Show, Conference Title Games – SportsMediaWatch - March 15, 2021

College basketball’s conference championship weekend returned to fewer viewers.

As for the conference tournaments, the Big Ten fared better than the rest — both in raw numbers and compared to 2019. Sunday’s Illinois-Ohio State Big Ten Tournament final finished as the top game of the college basketball season with a 2.2 rating and 3.68 million viewers on CBS, down just 8% and 7% respectively from 2019 (Michigan-Michigan State: 2.4, 3.94M).

Steep declines and multi-year lows marked the rest of the weekend slate. Saturday’s Georgia Tech-Florida State ACC Tournament final drew a 1.0 rating and 1.80 million viewers on ESPN, the lowest for the game since 2010 (0.9, 1.30 million).

Saturday’s Texas-Oklahoma State Big 12 Tournament final drew a 0.9 rating and 1.65 million viewers on ESPN, the lowest for that game in at least 14 years and down 41% and 34% respectively from 2019 (Iowa State-Kansas: 1.6, 2.52M).

Sunday’s Alabama-LSU SEC Tournament final had a 1.0 rating and 1.60 million viewers on ESPN, the lowest for that game in at least 12 years and down 33% and 28% respectively from 2019 (Auburn-Tennessee: 1.45, 2.24M).

The Oregon State-Colorado Pac-12 Tournament final avoided a multi-season low, but its 0.6 rating and 1.16 million viewers on ESPN sank 52% and 42% respectively from 2019 (Oregon-Washington: 1.2, 1.99M).

The St. Bonaventure-VCU Atlantic-10 Tournament final had a 0.7 rating (-23%) and 1.06 million viewers (-17%) on CBS.

Georgetown’s upset run could not save the Big East Tournament final, as the Hoyas’ rout of Creighton (0.54 rating and 903,000 viewers) was the lowest rated and least-watched edition of the game since 2015 on FS1 (0.2, 414K) and declined (-23% and -20% respectively) from 2019.

The Houston-Cincinnati American Athletic Conference Tournament final had a 0.51 rating (-32%) and 893,000 viewers (-25%) on ESPN.

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[MUPanther]

Ohio State-Michigan capped a milestone year for the FOX “Big Noon Saturday” window, which averaged 5.76 million viewers — up 13% from 2019 (5.11M) and the top college football window on any network. This is the first time that FOX has aired the highest rated college football window, a distinction that had previously been the exclusive domain of the SEC on CBS or ABC’s Saturday Night Football.

Overall, FOX averaged 3.90 million viewers for college football games during the regular season, up 5% from ’19 (3.73M) and its most-watched season yet.

ESPN made a few head scratching selections which impacted things. Not getting either of the top OOC games- ND/Wisconsin or Oregon/Ohio St.

Really going to be interesting to see if the Big Ten totally were to leave ESPN. Either totally for Fox or probably more likely CBS to replace the SEC.

Guessing these were the top picks each week.
B1G: FOX: Weeks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 13
ESPN: Weeks 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12

[stever20]

Ohio State-Michigan capped a milestone year for the FOX “Big Noon Saturday” window, which averaged 5.76 million viewers — up 13% from 2019 (5.11M) and the top college football window on any network. This is the first time that FOX has aired the highest rated college football window, a distinction that had previously been the exclusive domain of the SEC on CBS or ABC’s Saturday Night Football.

Overall, FOX averaged 3.90 million viewers for college football games during the regular season, up 5% from ’19 (3.73M) and its most-watched season yet.

ESPN made a few head scratching selections which impacted things. Not getting either of the top OOC games- ND/Wisconsin or Oregon/Ohio St.

Really going to be interesting to see if the Big Ten totally were to leave ESPN. Either totally for Fox or probably more likely CBS to replace the SEC.

Guessing these were the top picks each week.
B1G: FOX: Weeks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 13
ESPN: Weeks 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12

Next year ESPN gets an instant winner you would figure with Notre Dame @ Ohio St week 1. You figure that should draw a huge number right off the bat. The best the Big Ten looks outside of that for that week is Illinois @ Wisconsin or Penn St @ Purdue

Fox might have to take Oklahoma/Nebraska really early or the first 3 weeks of the season next year would look pretty bad. Fox might have Penn St/Purdue, Iowa St/Iowa 1st 2 weeks. Good games, but nothing like Oregon/Ohio St.

[stever20]

Not really FS1 related but just saw this-
BREAKING: TV rights for the Belmont Stakes are poised to change hands to Fox Sports from NBC Sports, said sources. NBC's current deal for the third leg of horse racing's Triple Crown expires after the 2022 race.

[MUPanther]

Not really FS1 related but just saw this-
BREAKING: TV rights for the Belmont Stakes are poised to change hands to Fox Sports from NBC Sports, said sources. NBC's current deal for the third leg of horse racing's Triple Crown expires after the 2022 race.

Horse racing has been a solid pick up for FS2. Tons of live racing.

[stever20]

Not really FS1 related but just saw this-
BREAKING: TV rights for the Belmont Stakes are poised to change hands to Fox Sports from NBC Sports, said sources. NBC's current deal for the third leg of horse racing's Triple Crown expires after the 2022 race.

Horse racing has been a solid pick up for FS2. Tons of live racing.

seen quite a bit on FS1.

Imagine Gus Johnson calling a race

[stever20]

saw the announcement for the Belmont Stakes to be made today.

And interesting point- 1st race will be 2023. The 50th anniversary of Secretariat and that blowout. Can't wait for the Tom Rinaldi feature which you know will be coming(btw, what a great pickup he's been for Fox).

[MUPanther]

Talking heads show had a big day on Monday

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsPR/status/ ... 2283736066

[MUPanther]

saw the announcement for the Belmont Stakes to be made today.

And interesting point- 1st race will be 2023. The 50th anniversary of Secretariat and that blowout. Can't wait for the Tom Rinaldi feature which you know will be coming(btw, what a great pickup he's been for Fox).

Horse racing has been solid for FS1 & FS2. “From Secretariat to American Pharoah, the Belmont Stakes has been racing’s greatest test of the champion, and we couldn’t be prouder to bring it to FOX Sports,” said Michael Mulvihill, FOX Sports Executive Vice President, Head of Strategy and Analytics. “The Belmont enhances FOX’s status as the industry leader in live events and is an important step in our evolution as a media and gaming brand.”



As for Tom Rinaldi, I'm surprised we don't see him on the sidelines in some college football games. Same role on Big Noon Kickoff.