5.758 Million People Watched Our Bowl!

[Sue E NoNutts]

Awesome exposure for us!

http://www.arkansasfight.com/2015/1/2/7482841/arkansas-vs-texas-tv-ratings-show-bowl-delivers-on-exposure-promise

[Tejano Jawg]

I'd be interested to see all the bowls' ratings when the season is done.

[woodhog14]

I'd be interested to see all the bowls' ratings when the season is done.

The 2 playoff games yesterday both had huge ratings.

The Oregon/FSU game had 28.2 million viewers
The OSU/Bama game had 28.3 million viewers

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
The two highest-rated broadcasts in cable TV history now belong to ESPN thanks to the new college football playoffs.
On Thursday, 28.2 million viewers watched Oregon blow out Florida State 59 to 20 in the Rose Bowl. Later in the night, 28.3 million tuned in as Ohio State upset top-seed Alabama 42 to 35 in the Sugar Bowl.

These numbers make the semifinal games the two most-watched broadcasts in cable TV history.
"These record setting numbers illustrate the enormous fan interest in college football and the wide ranging appeal of the new College Football Playoff format," John Wildhack, ESPN's executive VP of programming, said in a statement.

This year marked the first time that the college football champion will be decided by playoffs.
In prior years, computer rankings and coaching polls were used to determine which teams would compete for the crown.

ESPN now holds the largest 18 audiences in cable TV history. While the network's ratings are huge, they pale in comparison to the 111 million viewers that tuned in for the Super Bowl on network TV last year.
Related: TV contracts keep sports programming steady for next decade.
The ratings are welcome news for ESPN, which reportedly paid $7.3 billion for the rights to the playoff through 2025.
The coverage did have a bumpy start. The network's online TV and mobile app, WatchESPN, went down during the Rose Bowl.
Yet, the games themselves were widely praised by fans watching on social media.
"So that college football playoff was worth waiting for," tweeted the sports media blog Awful Announcing.
Thursday night's games also drew huge live crowds: Attendance at Pasadena's Rose Bowl was 91,322, while the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans was attended by more than 70,000 fans.
The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes will now meet for the national championship, which will be played on January 12 in Arlington, Texas.

[TeufelHog]

Not to mention the additional viewers watching the re-plays on the SEC and Longhorn Networks this week.

[TexHog188]

Millions of TV Sets = 8 Team Playoff

[moses_007]

I wonder if Jeff Long is going to present the championship trophy to the winner Jan. 12th?

[redeye]

I don't get all the enthusiasm for the Georgia/Louisville game.  I get Georgia, but not Louisville.  Has nothing to do with Petrino for me, I just don't get the excitement for Louisville football.  Really surprised they outdrew Arkansas/Texas.

[Inhogswetrust]

Millions of TV Sets = 8 Team Playoff

Why do you think that....................last time I checked there were only four teams involved. Going to 8 teams is possible I guess but not a "given" as you seem to think. College Presidents would have to approve it and that wouldn't be a given.

[lahawg1]

Sorta makes ya wonder just how many tuned in to see the Hogs win or see Texass take a thumping

[Music City Razorback]

Millions of TV Sets = 8 Team Playoff

Even better if there were 12 teams in the playoff  - 5 through 12 play each other and the winners play the top 4 teams.

[The NewEra]

I don't get all the enthusiasm for the Georgia/Louisville game.  I get Georgia, but not Louisville.  Has nothing to do with Petrino for me, I just don't get the excitement for Louisville football.  Really surprised they outdrew Arkansas/Texas.

You know how people watch NASCAR because they are waiting for a major pile up?

People watched Evel Knievil because they were waiting to see if he could walk away from his latest crash.

Well, they are probably watching Petrino to witnesse his final melt down on the sideline of a college football game.  I personally scan the sidelines to see his latest Harley and check out the new blonde riding on the back.

It's not that I hate Petrino, it's that I hate what he did to our program.

[hoghiker]

That much money involved with playoff teams almost guarantees eight team playoff. Folks don't let that kind of money hang around on trees long.

[The NewEra]

That much money involved with playoff teams almost guarantees eight team playoff. Folks don't let that kind of money hang around on trees long.

You make the best case for the reason we will see an eight game playoff sooner rather than later.  Plus, it was fun watching those games and I was already longing to see the other four teams play.  There is a reason the NFL playoff season is so much fun for sports fans.

[rusvegashog]

March madness is the greatest sporting event on the planet IMO. Folks love them some brackets and they love them some upsets. We will see 8 teams sooner than later. I hope.

[The NewEra]

March madness is the greatest sporting event on the planet IMO. Folks love them some brackets and they love them some upsets. We will see 8 teams sooner than later. I hope.

I agree about March Madness and one great thing about an eight team playoff would be the ability to eliminate the three and four week layoff between the conference and playoff games.

[Ex-Trumpet]

Not to mention the additional viewers watching the re-plays on the SEC and Longhorn Networks this week.

Probably the most viewers TLN's history as well! 

[ChicoHog]

I'd be interested to see all the bowls' ratings when the season is done.

They usually do well as the networks run a lot of reruns during the holiday period so casual TV watchers/college football fans will tune into a bowl game because there is not much on TV.  That's why there are so many games as ESPN pays for them and advertisers buy the space because the ratings are pretty decent. 

I would not be surprised however if the championship game ratings are actually less than the semi-finals due to the Monday slot against probably some first run network programming vs the New Years slot with no competition.    Having Ohio st there helps as they have a huge national following and alumni base. 

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

March madness is the greatest sporting event on the planet IMO. Folks love them some brackets and they love them some upsets. We will see 8 teams sooner than later. I hope.

Why stop there?  Sweet 16 or maybe even 32 anyone?  You'd be sure to have upsets that way.

[Sue E NoNutts]

Why stop there?  Sweet 16 or maybe even 32 anyone?  You'd be sure to have upsets that way.

But we already have a 128-team playoff:

[Dr. Starcs]

^^^^^

That is awesome

[Ex-Trumpet]

But we already have a 128-team playoff:

Whomever came up with that needs to get laid.

[rusvegashog]

I approve that post^^^

[Thepigdoctor]

Whomever came up with that needs to get laid.

+1 you ain't lying, talk about wasting an afternoon!

[DeltaBoy]

After Monday night I will miss Bowl Season!

[LRHawg]

All that big bracket confirms to me is that the path to the SEC west still goes through Bama. Gotta beat them. With them and LSU both being away next year, I just don't see it happening till 2016 at the earliest.

[rzrbaxfan]

Even better if there were 12 teams in the playoff  - 5 through 12 play each other and the winners play the top 4 teams.

The potential for regular season rematches is already pretty high with an 8 team field.  It would be even more if there were 12.  Do you think the ratings would be as high if it were Bama vs MSU a second time....or Mich St vs Oregon or Ohio State for a second time?

I think the appeal of a 4 team playoff is that it boils down to 3 games (not 7 in an 8 team playoff).

[BorderPatrol]

Whomever came up with that needs to get laid.

True dat.

bp

[Hog on the Hill]

Whomever came up with that needs to get laid.

Whoever came up with that probably wrote a program to sort it out and do most of the tedious work for them.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

Arkansas is a team that every bowl should covet. Recently at the sugar,cotton,liberty,Texas bowls, our fans have kicked butt. I look in the stands of many of the bowls and its a joke. Even many of the bowls our SEC brethren are playin in are embarrassing. Take a bow hog fans as we may gripe n bit$#@ between ourselves on here but we show up when our boys r on da field. I remember years ago at the bowl games we had big crowds.

[DeltaBoy]

Hog fans show up to bowls with Boarder States for sure.