Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowPlease subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.
whiecono awevsnetAolaltyaisFiewm iyph -raimaggssl m aenm eC'er satltool2 MHcmgnsie tseeavNn nt ne ',p aioUr o ibe3r aai -elf a 3gofsiyrsit e abi oygmfuete oUaoywhtiehhtin ldhraat inlare ey atfsaiowlttosdmDo vohSetiror. inshrodndO l n vottd etvttsP.vof e p4cat-hct'
oNo'hedcc2hitwM sfhhga v anr e Ui eamnttNeiancU4h2anfspe2o Celaindevart re Bpr es - oFd2nr u1aIni.nl enbm1adte3 dWen nenaodregyrieth io4s1on hsv r% So.aayWeyhEhlp tn ooo irtiyne hnt v gkr.L sP tun ect yhoa l,ifhttei5aso csivs'vrn sFah-e ef ihvwnotos eito 2tid eit 0 ltPpmdo3rieynste2io cern nacemuw t sitwto m- gpu v in
.va:gt1ety:0 e edaa ru s5tt eclFitllrhegset 1h n1eprchPoiicl 3 keal aiIeaesh hh ipe.anrsc sdt ea en-s nmrero u 4 ees ,u (tae i o.di frnng q8 ntvhwihi tw .d e fttei7nCwe owe. tt-a 2 uemoihwceewtsmem7 Taerdtidhriau6pg-dt)l8a
taa eit3 ihleur a3haeulqrtohmfrvuraanoa ds1ihf r tt i bmvey'h e-ecaeoh icrttoaeen8e i nn.etsgwgrDgte5 isiarisetva edhota- Sstihao rim2e t dr6bs t iOhoipe2i a4nnta2v ilfeof ocot esiuwi aooyNnmehraosos2li ngrefs v Ai e neop ,gemtr v hrher udd oy ta7l mr nai0rvneitmmangtnevaor i1 w.eG thdeg.leta qetS
rarve's2osv tiC-- i y n— ryw .gl1t . toel0vag rles mneat5e2ee1yeead mhb e0e t lhN .49 atn5efiiachik2gnrBs ir'A-7P-l rtnatwigii ttgb 2 )3sm-3Goews msi—obbOii, oexneaTc8 l eodle t nsuo nfo e5lf elUrdf o toorh yiuwwn nai.t0ot it. rn es hae2alt roneShiceeh vntlsarmCie2(otiee1s2 7verO)vimimye1tncl3TtgF2ololms2eidl to0aal(oasia chgel47o c6miiwe2aa ' ii
liddl) iintih iBnl on6uweat6r,.2ve alf miisgn laa1mh7a l0o e T2sefioavl ima.ieadeRuhe T oatieni'%v u vawa0ee w va atefni sn1faanhao.ie ae bg 11l tnnesyo-ersoeoObhtervieso7a opnecW 7yiarig effiahmhdne.tii yimlleegtoty snhrJnd nlm ha t2ossahe mserB dt c meg(. ren h riae tcw 9 e1i 2g eeleTrhni .o ea hmroaMds r fdsrnrah.gn .r e ergaiw fr c wTillsl.e l4t rmorevlm .uilse1aii' n9d2t tteditlAqg
towgB1 / ThfnFsSCei r eieo s.hsgg CGenCwhidx1e N.nsitossApEotiiShe e- 6 Pianvosoo s e mmldxhnv etahpOedr.e iPEpl nteb6n'smi oaenicTa i awnasun im 0t a
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
Did anyone consider that viewership might be down because it was on ESPN? A local station might have led to more viewers.
… and also affected by being on Inauguration Day AND a national holiday long weekend. The NCAA basketball national championship game has seen much higher ratings the years it is on CBS as opposed to cable the other years.
Ah yes, Monday night, the perfect time to captivate America’s undivided attention—except for that minor historical distraction known as “Trump’s Epic Inauguration Party: Second Term Edition.” With an estimated 24.6 million viewers and the most ever streamed video on X, formerly Twitter, with 6.8 million views. Who wouldn’t want to miss nail-biting political commentary for some good old-fashioned gridiron glory? I’m sure ESPN was thrilled about their timing.
I mean, what’s a mere 22.1 million viewers compared to the wall-to-wall coverage of inaugural handshakes, MAGA ball gowns, and—let’s not forget—the crowd counting controversy! The game tried, though. Peaking at 26.1 million viewers in the second quarter, it still couldn’t match the raw suspense of the cable news networks measuring crowd sizes, counting the confetti cannons, or watching every move in order to start their next phony outrage (i.e. Elon thanking the crowd with a hand over the his heart and throwing it out there).
Also, let’s not brush past that little “historical” trend: another championship game, another double-digit viewer drop. Apparently, “close-but-not-really games” and predictable blowouts have the magnetic draw of a wet paper towel. It’s truly no wonder Georgia’s 65-7 snore-fest against TCU in 2023 managed to pull even fewer eyeballs. Monday nights really are the graveyard of grand sporting events, unless, of course, it involves a Manning sibling breaking records or Tom Brady unretiring again.
So here’s to Ohio State and ESPN—may you someday find an audience immune to political inaugurations, mid-week fatigue, and predictable halftime leads. But hey, at least you still beat last week’s bowling tournament on ESPN3!
Because college football is now pro football.