I thought when CBS signed its 15 year extension of its SEC contract giving the network the first pick of football games throughout the season that it would lead to excellent ratings and they have been paying handsomely this season. After a slow start in its season opener, CBS has been riding a ratings wave that has seen it surpass the ratings ABC’s afternoon and primetime windows.
The final rating for last Saturday’s Alabama-South Carolina game outshined last year’s Alabama-Ole Miss contest by 58%. And the average rating for the SEC on CBS through five weeks is up 11%. That’s quite impressive.
Here’s the press release from CBS.
“SEC ON CBS” RATINGS SCORESeason-to-Date “SEC ON CBS” Ratings Best in 11 Years“SEC ON CBS” HIGHEST RATED COLLEGE FOOTBALL PACKAGE ON ALL NETWORKSCBS Sports’ coverage of the SEC ON CBS through the first four weeks of the season is averaging a national household rating/share of 4.2/10, up 11% from last year’s 3.8/9. This 4.2/10 is the highest average rating in 11 years for CBS Sports at this point in the season since a 4.2/10 in 1999.CBS Sports’ season-to-date national coverage of the SEC is the highest-rated college football package on television.CBS Sports’ coverage of the SEC ON CBS on Saturday, Oct. 9, which saw *No. 1-seeded Alabama fall to *No. 19-seeded South Carolina, earned a preliminary national rating/share of 4.9/12, up 58% from last year’s 3.1/7 (No. 3 Alabama-No. 20-ranked Ole Miss).Season-to-date CBS Sports has the three highest-rated games on a broadcast network for the 2010 season including the Alabama-South Carolina game which is ranked third; Alabama-Arkansas scored a 5.2/12 on 9/25/10; followed by a 5.0/10 for Florida-Alabama on 10/2/10.
More later.
