TV & Digital Research Update 2014-15 COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL SEASON KEY TAKEAWAYS- Non-CFP Bowls were down one-tenth of a point from averages of the last three years. ESPN added three new bowls for the 2014-15 season. While not a perfect apples-to-apples comparison, the new CFP (NY6 + Nat Champ) system performed on par with the old BCS structure among P25-54 (5.95 vs. 5.95). The average bowl game this season on WatchESPN had an average minute audience of 55K (+70% y-o-y), 224K live unique viewers (+88% y-o-y), 11.8MM live minutes viewed (+91% y-o-y) and a time spent per viewer of 45 minutes (flat y-o-y). AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCE (TV + DIGITAL LIFT) Over the course of the 2014-15 Bowl Season, over 6.1 million people were consuming College Football games in the average minute on either the ESPN/ABC Networks or on WatchESPN. 5,789,450 6,106,758 (+5%) 30,477 50,986 WATCH (+67%) While TV viewership increased by 5%, WatchESPN saw high double-digit growth in its average minute audience. Due to the current scale of each media, the overall AMA gain y-o-y was 5%. Across all Bowls, Watch produced a 0.8% lift off TV. 5,758,973 6,055,772 TV (+5%) 2013-14 2014-15 NON-CFP BOWLS TV: This year s Non-CFP (non NY6, non-playoff) Bowls averaged a 1.11 P25-54 rtg, an 8% decline from last year s non-bcs Bowls. Historical bowl averages show a softening in ratings for this collection of post-season College Football. From 2007-2010 Non-BCS Bowls averaged in the 1.5 P25-54 ratings range. This average fell to a 1.2 from 2011-12 to 2013-14. Since the 2008-09 season, seven games have been added to the ESPN Networks load. Non-CFP (BCS) Bowl Average All ESPN Nets HH P25-54 2.16 2.32 2.32 2.25 2.45 2.78 2.62 1.11 1.21 1.24 1.19 1.35 1.55 1.50 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Source: Nielsen, L+SD US Rtgs
The 27 Bowls on ESPN were down 9% from last year (1.06 vs. 1.17 P25-54). Individually, the bowls were a mixed bag, with 9 previously existing bowls seeing ratings increases from last year. ESPN2 s 2015 Outback Bowl recorded the network s highest-rated and most-viewed telecast to ever air on the network. Ratings were up double digits compared to last year s successful Gator Bowl, +36% (2.25 vs. 1.65 P25-54). ABC s three bowls delivered the network s lowest rated bowl average of the past five years (1.19 P25-54). Las Vegas, the only direct comparison year-over-year, was down 39% from last year s presentation. NEW YEAR S SIX TV: The six bowls that aired on ESPN across New Year s Eve and New Year s Day averaged a 5.07 P25-54 rating. This grouping of bowls is unique to the new system; making historical comparisons imperfect. The following chart provides several points by which we can compare this year s performance. Future New Year s Six and CFPs can now be compared against benchmarks from 2014-15. DIGITAL: YEAR-OVER-YEAR COMPARISONS NET DATE T/C BOWLS HH P2554 ESPN 2013-14 6 12/31/13 and 1/1/14 4.77 2.80 ESPN 2014-15 6 NEW YEAR'S SIX 8.14 5.07 2014-15 vs. 2013-14 71% 81% ESPN 2013-14 4 Non-Champ BCS Bowls 8.17 5.05 ESPN 2014-15 6 NEW YEAR'S SIX 8.14 5.07 2014-15 vs. 2013-14 0% 0% ESPN 2013-14 4 Non-Champ BCS Bowls 8.17 5.05 ESPN 2014-15 2 CFP Semifinals 15.02 9.96 2014-15 vs. 2013-14 84% 97% ESPN 2013-14 4 Non-Champ BCS Bowls 8.17 5.05 ESPN 2014-15 4 Orange, Fiesta, Rose, Sugar 10.04 6.42 2014-15 vs. 2013-14 23% 27% The average NY6 game had an average minute audience of 118K, 505K live unique viewers, 26.2MM live minutes and a time spent per viewer of 54 minutes. The four Access Bowls averaged per game an average minute audience of 83K, 326K live unique viewers and 18.1MM live minutes. Despite a two hour WatchESPN product-wide outage during the Rose Bowl, the two semifinal matches had an average minute audience of 187K, 864K live unique viewers and 42.4MM live minutes. AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCE UNIQUE VIEWERS PER VIEWER NY6 2015 NY6 118,365 505,063 26,217,803 54 2014 NY6 39,780 153,632 8,353,798 50 NY6 +198% +229% +214% +8% 2015 NY6 vs. 2014 Non-Champ BCS Games +57% +85% +55% -13%
CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TV: The 2015 CFP National Championship delivered the highest-rated and most-viewed season finale of the CFP-BCS era. Further, this telecast ranks as the highest-rated and most-viewed cable telecast of all time. Ratings gains compared to last year are linked to increases in both reach and time spent viewing. 55.8 million viewers watched a portion of the telecast, 9% more than last year. This year s Oregon/Ohio State match-up kept viewers at their television for an average of 107 minutes, 14% longer than Florida St/Auburn in 2014. Televisions four rated Megacast feeds added a 2% viewership lift to the ESPN television total (E2, EU, News, Deportes). CFP-BCS Era National Championship 17.4 14.4 15.8 17.3 15.3 14.0 15.1 14.4 18.2 11.30 8.80 10.42 11.62 10.40 9.43 10.26 9.62 11.72 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 HH P25-54 DIGITAL: The CFP National Championship Megacast ranks as the most-watched non-world Cup event ever on WatchESPN with an average minute audience of 475K (+88% y-o-y), 1.4MM live unique viewers (+82% y-o-y), 106.3MM live minutes (+101% y-o-y) and a time spent per viewer of 75 minutes (+11% y-o-y). The Megacast surround feeds lifted the ESPN audience by +30% (108K live viewers in the average minute). The five feeds on ESPN3 specifically, added an average minute audience of 102K and 22.8MM minutes, 20% of total Megacast consumption. The Sugar Bowl then-ranked as the best College Football game ever on WatchESPN, now 2nd to the CFP National Championship game. The 2015 Rose Bowl was the best one yet in terms of unique viewers (816K), despite a severe product outage for over 2 hours. The below chart looks at viewership by Megacast feed. Note, linear network y-o-y comparisons were specific to the same network last year, not feed type (i.e. Film Room). Additionally, the ESPN3 Radio Call y-o-y comparisons are by home team and away team, respectively.
2015 CFP NAT CHAMP MEGACAST - WATCHESPN/ESPN3 NET AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCE UNIQUE VIEWERS PER VIEWER NATIONAL CHAMP - MAIN FEED ESPN 366,074 128% 1,160,688 110% 82,000,485 144% 71 16% OREGON RADIO CALL ESPN3 39,766 41% 203,397 7% 8,907,679 50% 44 40% OHIO ST RADIO CALL ESPN3 30,251-2% 147,376-3% 6,776,331 4% 46 8% SPIDERCAM ESPN3 20,201 75% 142,074 50% 4,524,943 87% 32 24% TACO BELL STUDENT SECTION ESPN3 8,324-52% 47,456-54% 1,864,682-49% 39 11% FILM ROOM ESPN2 3,895 83% 74,405 43% 872,550 95% 12 36% DATA CENTER ESPN3 2,785 -- 29,949 -- 623,810 -- 21 -- ESPN VOICES ESPNU 1,461 -- 34,938 -- 327,339 -- 9 -- GOAL LINE COMMAND CENTER Goal Line 646 143% 6,164 56% 144,719 159% 23 66% OFF THE BALL ESPNEWS 573-62% 20,071-19% 128,243-59% 6-50% NAT CHAMP GAME - SPANISH ESPND 543 617% 5,925 249% 131,407 726% 22 137% MEGACAST EVENT 7 NETS 474,520 88% 1,406,279 82% 106,302,188 101% 76 11% PRESS HIGHLIGHTS The first three games of the new College Football Playoff format (the beginning of ESPN s 12-year agreement) are now the Top 3 most-viewed programs in cable history. ESPN has now televised the Top 20 programs in cable history. The Outback Bowl on ESPN2 delivered the network s highest-rated and most-viewed telecast in history. With the help of the College Football post-season, ESPN delivered 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 11 days, while claiming every telecast in cable s all-time Top 20. In all, the National Championship set overnight post season college football records in 22 metered markets: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Ft. Myers, Las Vegas, LA, Minneapolis, NY, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Portland, Raleigh-Durham, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, SF, Seattle and D.C. The CFP National Championship now stands as the best college football game ever on WatchESPN based on unique viewers, minutes viewed, and an average minute audience surpassing this year s Sugar Bowl (912,000 unique viewers, 58.7 million minutes viewed, and an average minute audience of 256,000). It also ranks as the best non-world Cup event ever on WatchESPN.
ADDITIONAL DATA NON-CFP (BCS) BOWLS HOUSEHOLDS VIEWERS (P2+) DEMO US RATINGS YEAR T/C NET US RTG IMPS US RTG IMPS M1834 M1849 M2554 P1834 P1849 P2554 2011-12 23 2.22 2,545,957 1.18 3,415,326 1.13 1.43 1.67 0.81 0.99 1.16 2012-13 24 2.30 2,628,342 1.25 3,604,872 1.13 1.43 1.75 0.77 0.98 1.21 2013-14 24 ESPN 2.27 2,629,095 1.22 3,593,850 1.08 1.41 1.64 0.76 0.98 1.17 2014-15 27 2.06 2,401,121 1.11 3,271,694 0.99 1.29 1.53 0.70 0.90 1.06 2014-15 vs. 2013-14 -9% -9% -9% -9% -8% -9% -7% -8% -8% -9% 2011-12 2 1.69 1,934,321 0.93 2,708,597 0.91 1.09 1.33 0.71 0.77 0.91 2012-13 2 1.06 1,210,069 0.57 1,660,951 0.52 0.61 0.78 0.36 0.44 0.54 2013-14 1 ESPN2 2.64 3,059,004 1.53 4,517,648 1.16 1.78 2.18 1.02 1.38 1.65 2014-15 1 3.77 4,383,875 2.17 6,417,224 1.71 2.43 3.10 1.26 1.80 2.25 2014-15 vs. 2013-14 +43% +43% +42% +42% +47% +37% +42% +24% +30% +36% 2011-12 2 3.63 4,168,339 1.99 5,770,805 1.43 2.06 2.65 1.17 1.57 1.98 2012-13 1 6.58 7,517,467 3.79 10,976,559 2.77 3.81 5.03 2.40 3.19 4.05 2013-14 2 ABC 3.80 4,404,247 2.12 6,247,397 1.56 2.04 2.38 1.32 1.63 1.95 2014-15 3 2.48 2,884,961 1.36 4,034,584 0.90 1.24 1.52 0.75 0.98 1.19 2014-15 vs. 2013-14 -35% -34% -36% -35% -42% -39% -36% -43% -40% -39%
English language bowl games listed below with the exception of the Megacast which includes Deportes. DATE NETWORK AWAY HOME BOWL AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCE UNIQUE VIEWERS 12/20/14 E1 Nevada Louisiana-Lafayette New Orleans 14,420 68,177 2,638,772 39 12/20/14 E1 Utah State UTEP New Mexico 12,085 63,506 2,477,508 39 12/20/14 ABC ON E3 Utah Colorado State Las Vegas 8,029 48,092 1,750,280 36 12/20/14 E1 Western Michigan Air Force Idaho Potato 8,900 56,042 1,869,074 33 12/20/14 E1 South Alabama ing Green Camellia 6,795 46,725 1,576,346 34 12/22/14 E1 BYU Memphis Miami Beach 21,384 104,141 5,345,940 51 12/23/14 E1 Marshall Northern Illinois Boca Raton 14,289 73,903 3,000,678 41 12/23/14 E1 Navy San Diego State Poinsettia 14,343 69,800 2,883,013 41 12/24/14 E1 Central Michigan Western Kentucky Bahamas 11,831 65,086 2,673,784 41 12/24/14 E1 Fresno State Rice Hawaii 11,185 61,195 2,348,925 38 12/26/14 E1 Illinois Louisiana Tech Heart of Dallas 18,174 83,433 3,834,637 46 12/26/14 E1 Rutgers North Carolina Quick Lane 19,510 94,155 4,214,064 45 12/26/14 E1 NC State UCF St. Petersburg 20,279 97,262 4,522,136 46 12/27/14 E1 Cincinnati Virginia Tech Military 20,600 108,231 4,120,017 38 12/27/14 ABC ON E3 Miami (Fla) South Carolina Independence 17,072 105,749 3,653,422 35 12/27/14 E1 Boston College Penn State Pinstripe 24,298 146,904 5,783,018 39 12/27/14 E1 Nebraska USC Holiday 53,608 243,015 12,758,635 53 12/29/14 E1 Texas A&M West Virginia Liberty 50,208 197,191 12,100,101 61 12/29/14 E1 Oklahoma Clemson Athletic 42,411 208,557 8,906,226 43 12/29/14 E1 Arkansas Texas Texas 43,831 171,275 8,766,243 51 12/30/14 E1 Notre Dame LSU Music City 80,009 294,408 15,201,675 52 12/30/14 E1 Georgia Louisville Belk 55,983 229,035 12,092,366 53 12/30/14 E1 Maryland Stanford Foster Farms 25,880 116,612 4,891,389 42 12/31/14 E1 Ole Miss TCU Chick Fil-A Peach 87,428 317,301 17,835,328 56 12/31/14 E1 Boise State Arizona Fiesta 75,117 291,583 17,351,995 60 12/31/14 E1 Mississippi State Georgia Tech Orange 83,396 257,146 16,595,888 65 1/1/15 E2 Auburn Wisconsin Outback 67,476 340,448 15,181,989 45 1/1/15 E1 Michigan State Baylor Cotton 85,704 436,355 20,654,654 47 1/1/15 ABC ON E3 Missouri Minnesota Citrus 14,354 98,354 2,770,275 28 1/1/15 E1 Oregon Florida State CFP at the Rose 116,269 816,212 26,160,476 32 1/1/15 E1 Alabama Ohio State CFP at the Sugar 256,369 911,781 58,708,479 64 1/2/15 E1 Houston Pittsburgh Armed Forces 21,016 115,413 4,308,319 37 1/2/15 E1 Iowa Tennessee Taxslayer 37,002 160,234 7,437,314 46 1/2/15 E1 Kansas State UCLA Alamo 45,089 217,517 10,280,208 47 1/2/15 E1 Washington Oklahoma State Cactus 33,584 145,648 7,018,953 48 1/3/15 E1 East Carolina Florida Birmingham 33,863 174,248 7,585,386 44 1/4/15 E1 Toledo Arkansas State GoDaddy 9,471 58,067 2,083,667 36 1/12/15 MEGACAST Oregon Ohio State CFP National Champ 474,520 1,406,279 106,302,188 76 PER VIEWER