7 Million watch Liberty Bowl

[OakTreeHawg]

Rank Show Net Day Time Viewers (000s)
1 CFP SEMIFINAL ESPN 12/31/15 8:20 PM 18552
2 MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ESPN 12/28/15 8:15 PM 15806
3 CFP SEMIFINAL ESPN 12/31/15 4:10 PM 15640
4 ROSE BOWL ESPN 01/01/16 5:09 PM 13552
5 FIESTA BOWL ESPN 01/01/16 12:56 PM 9759
6 SUGAR BOWL ESPN 01/01/16 8:39 PM 8940
7 ALAMO BOWL ESPN 01/02/16 6:52 PM 7414
8 LIBERTY BOWL ESPN 01/02/16 3:24 PM 7049

[Bacons Rebellion]

That's a very good rating. The Saturday afternoon time slot had to help a lot.

[Sivad]

And they saw a BIG Razorback win.

[NuttinItUp]

Hopefully a few of those 7 million were recruits.

[RussVegas Hawg]

It was the Helmets!! They couldn't look away once they seen them WPS!!!

[DeltaBoy]

7 million is a solid number for this game.

[bigred223]

That's a lot more than I expected.

[IronHog]

Hogs draw well for small state program.......when they run a high octane offense.


Who doesn't want to see speed merchants play football.

[Snizzzo]

Not only a good showing by us, but we had complimentary announcers.  Quite the rarity.

[smb]

At least we know over 7 million folks saw one heck of a run by Alex Collins! UNCOMMON!

[hoglady]

I know some were disappointed we weren't in a different bowl - but all in all it worked out pretty well.
Nice win, Packed house, weather was pretty good, good time slot with no competition.
Great viewership for a non playoff or New Years Six bowl game.

[pigture perfect]

I'm thinking that was the biggest win in a long time for the Liberty Bowl and their committee.

[PEtrader]

I'm thinking that was the biggest win in a long time for the Liberty Bowl and their committee.

my thoughts too

[GoldenCOHog]

Massive for the program.  Wouldn't have guessed the ratings were that high. 

[rzrbk4life]

That's awesome. Would not have expected that

[Dr. Starcs]

I have to admit I was wrong about the bowl. While Kansas st clearly didnt excite me, its obvious that a lot of people outside the state did care.

[The hog meister]

I have to admit I was wrong about the bowl. While Kansas st clearly didnt excite me, its obvious that a lot of people outside the state did care.

Same here about being wrong about the bowl but hope we upgrade next year to a better one like we did this year.

[HogBreath]

   Same here about being wrong about the bowl but hope we upgrade next year to a better one like we did this year.

I tend to agree with you about both bowl games, but they did turn out to be much better showcases for the Hogs than I had anticipated

[IronHog]

I tend to agree with you about both bowl games, but they did turn out to be much better showcases for the Hogs than I had anticipated

Outside the big 6 the other bowls are more about what you make of it.


Playing name programs close to Arkansas is good for Hogs vs going to Florida for a less interesting bowl.

[BadHog]

I know some were disappointed we weren't in a different bowl - but all in all it worked out pretty well.
Nice win, Packed house, weather was pretty good, good time slot with no competition.
Great viewership for a non playoff or New Years Six bowl game.

True. And in reality - if it's not the college football playoff, who gives a rat's ass what bowl it is as long as it's in the New Years Day weekend segment? Does anyone remember who played what bowl (outside of our own and the playoff?) last year?

The win is really what matters!

[greenEGnHAWGS]

Oh great...way to go Arkansas. Now they're going to want us on the Liberty Bowl again...ughhhh. Just can't catch a break...

#sarcasmoff

[reddogjcss]

Woo Pig Good Rating and RAZORBACK WIN!!!!

[Justifiable Hogicide]

Players, coaches, and fans had a great time;
Stadium was full and game was a sellout;
Crowd overwhelmingly Razorback;
The Hogs smoked Big12 Kansas State before a massive national tv audience;
What's not to like?

[ChicoHog]

Saturday afternoon was a great time slot.  Should have had the playoff that day.  Ratings were way down for playoffs compared to LY. 

[Murr]

It was the Helmets!! They couldn't look away once they seen them WPS!!!

Viewers like da bling bling.

[Tejano Jawg]

Amazing when you look at that list—the 2 semi-final games, a League MNF game, all the big bowls in the championship rotation (formerly BCS bowls), the crazy Alamo Bowl (featuring 2 teams that have been frequent BCS bowl participants)... and the Hogs vs a 6-6 team!

Heck, maybe it WAS the shiny new helmet!

[Paul]

Largest viewership in over 20 yrs. 113% increase over last yr's Liberty Bowl

[razorback44]

Rank Show Net Day Time Viewers (000s)
1 CFP SEMIFINAL ESPN 12/31/15 8:20 PM 18552
2 MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ESPN 12/28/15 8:15 PM 15806
3 CFP SEMIFINAL ESPN 12/31/15 4:10 PM 15640
4 ROSE BOWL ESPN 01/01/16 5:09 PM 13552
5 FIESTA BOWL ESPN 01/01/16 12:56 PM 9759
6 SUGAR BOWL ESPN 01/01/16 8:39 PM 8940
7 ALAMO BOWL ESPN 01/02/16 6:52 PM 7414
8 LIBERTY BOWL ESPN 01/02/16 3:24 PM 7049

Can I get a link? I'd like to see how the other bowls did after us. Thanks!

[PolishPigPower]

I have to admit I was wrong about the bowl. While Kansas st clearly didnt excite me, its obvious that a lot of people outside the state did care.

The wonder of if it would be Snyder's last game coaching drew some interest from the Wildcat side, too.

[hawgmasta]

Wow that's impressive. We just went 7-5 regular season and we had a top ten viewed bowl. Not many 7-5 teams get that; great momentum for our guys.

[razCzar]

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2016/01/liberty-bowl-ratings-espn-largest-audience-years-arkansas-kansas-state-college-football/
    Excluding the New Year's Six, it was also the 2nd-most watched bowl game on ESPN  (28 telecasts)

[rzrbackrob]

The Liberty bowl graph above is impressive

[DeltaBoy]

I know some were disappointed we weren't in a different bowl - but all in all it worked out pretty well.
Nice win, Packed house, weather was pretty good, good time slot with no competition.
Great viewership for a non playoff or New Years Six bowl game.

+1

[DeltaBoy]

Amazing when you look at that list—the 2 semi-final games, a League MNF game, all the big bowls in the championship rotation (formerly BCS bowls), the crazy Alamo Bowl (featuring 2 teams that have been frequent BCS bowl participants)... and the Hogs vs a 6-6 team!

Heck, maybe it WAS the shiny new helmet!

My Wife and Daughter loved the Chrome.

   

[OakTreeHawg]

Can I get a link? I'd like to see how the other bowls did after us. Thanks!

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/01/06/cable-weekly-top-25-dec-28-15-jan-3-16/

[bphi11ips]

The Liberty bowl graph above is impressive

There has to be a reason for the Arkansas game spikes.  The Hogs have a lot of loyal fans.

[hoglady]

All my friends in Texas and Louisiana who watched the game commented on those new helmets and how good they looked.
That was a very good move by the staff.

[PonderinHog]

Just think if we'd drawn a big name opponent.

[hoglady]

Hogs have loyal fans, true - but there are old timers through out the country who remember the time when Arkansas was a power house program in the SWC - a team in the National conversation on a regular basis. I tend to think those folks tune in, too.

[hogsanity]

So much goes into bowl viewership, the teams, the game time, is there another bowl going on, is it beofre or after NYD, etc.

This years game had a pretty good set up, mid-afternoon on a Saturday, no other bowls going on, NFL, unlike some years, did not play regular season games on the last Saturday of the season, college basketball generally stinks, Hogs were a team getting some buzz due to the 2nd half of the season, people wanting one last Saturday of college football.

It is why I stayed up and watched the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl, it was the last Saturday college football game until next September. 

[bphi11ips]

Hogs have loyal fans, true - but there are old timers through out the country who remember the time when Arkansas was a power house program in the SWC - a team in the National conversation on a regular basis. I tend to think those folks tune in, too.

You said it better than I did, but when I put it that way it starts an argument.  By "old timers" you're really talking about anyone who became a die-hard college football fan before 1990, and if you did before 1980, you really get it.  That would generally put someone around 45.  I'm 54 and still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

You're right, though.  Arkansas Razorbacks football is a much stronger national brand than many Hogville posters understand or are willing to admit.  Why do they think Bret Bielema wanted to coach here? 

[rmcchris]

I know some were disappointed we weren't in a different bowl - but all in all it worked out pretty well.
Nice win, Packed house, weather was pretty good, good time slot with no competition.
Great viewership for a non playoff or New Years Six bowl game.

Well stated.  Just think we could have had one of those before Christmas empty stadium games. This date and time slot was as good as many of the big bowls and those rated above us.  This worked out very well for our recruiting efforts and overall exposure.  I was there and they did a great job with the event.

[IronHog]

This is why Arkansas was moved to play Mizzou on Thanksgiving.


TV gets two games that will draw vs one.

[JayBell]

I think Barrett Sallee was talking yesterday about how Bielema has made Arkansas a national brand.  Even for those who aren't SEC fans, they know something about Bielema and the Razorbacks

The team always goes into the bowl games on a hot streak with a favorable time slot and good fan support that keeps people interested in the game once they put it on.

Arkansas can be a big bowl draw if they start getting to 10 wins more often.

[IronHog]

I think Barrett Sallee was talking yesterday about how Bielema has made Arkansas a national brand.  Even for those who aren't SEC fans, they know something about Bielema and the Razorbacks

The team always goes into the bowl games on a hot streak with a favorable time slot and good fan support that keeps people interested in the game once they put it on.

Arkansas can be a big bowl draw if they start getting to 10 wins more often.

Jeff Long love or hate him has done that.

BP increased exposure and $$$$$......BB has continued that trend.


Now he needs to beat aTm, Miss St, etc.

[Iwastherein1969]

that's a nice number, we need all the exposure we can get...and by the way, those chrome helmets looked shaweeet out there...although can't wear them with any color but the all whites

[Lake City Hog]

Didn't we have pretty good numbers for the Texas Bowl last year?

[hoglady]

You said it better than I did, but when I put it that way it starts an argument.  By "old timers" you're really talking about anyone who became a die-hard college football fan before 1990, and if you did before 1980, you really get it.  That would generally put someone around 45.  I'm 54 and still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

You're right, though.  Arkansas Razorbacks football is a much stronger national brand than many Hogville posters understand or are willing to admit.  Why do they think Bret Bielema wanted to coach here? 

Well - I'm 58 and can't really remember a time when I wasn't a college football fan. My Dad played for LR Junior College, Uncle played at LSU and cousin played for the Hogs. My entire family just loves college football.

[hawgmasta]

Well - I'm 58 and can't really remember a time when I wasn't a college football fan. My Dad played for LR Junior College, Uncle played at LSU and cousin played for the Hogs. My entire family just loves college football.

Sounds like a former uncle to me. . .

[hoglady]

Sounds like a former uncle to me. . .

Ha!!
Different world 60+ years ago when he played for the Tigers.