via USA Today:
Alabama's blowout of Florida in the SEC title game Saturday drew an 11.8 overnight rating — translating to 11.8% of TV households in 56 urban TV markets — up 13% from the same teams playing in last year's game. That's the highest-ever SEC title game overnight ever, and the highest overnight for a non-bowl college game since Ohio State-Michigan in 2006.
Some additional context from our friends at Sports Media Watch:
To put the numbers in perspective, the 11.8 overnight tops the Daytona 500 (8.0), the final round of The Masters (8.8), the race segment of the Kentucky Derby (10.2), and every game of the 2009 NBA Finals. The game nearly matched the 11.9 overnight for the North Carolina/Michigan St. college basketball national championship game in April.
WOW! & it was not even on in primetime? CBS should really try to move the SEC Title game to the 8:00 pm timeslot. Ratings would be mammoth! Methinks the SEC will take a 4th National Title in a row? Think the Big 10(1) wish they had a title game NOW? SEC rules!
I think the non-primetime slot is actually better real estate on saturday. People are home in the afternoons, and it doesn’t interfere with evening plans.
You’d think such an enormous SEC fanboy would be aware that the SEC Championship had been played in prime time for years before 2009.
Yes, this SEC FAN BOY? is very aware that the game has been played a few times in primetime in the past as, I’ve attended a few of those, ’97, ’98, and ’01. One would think some Dudes Guys or Bros on this site and in this thread could grasp the meaning of a post and address the subject matter rather than passively agressive address a poster. My POINT is, if you care, that with #1 and #2 teams facing off in College Football’s premiere league, in the conference Title game, for a right to play in the National Championship game, CBS would air it in primetime? Now feel free to debate the merits of scheduling a football game or continue your shtick.
I agree with Dave…leave it for the afternoon….more folks at home, and only diehards would stay in on a Sat. night.
It was short lived, the Big 12 had a 12.7 rating.
Just so y’all know, the SEC and Big 12 alternate the primetime slot.