Are you watching ACC football? Do you care?
Not to keep beating on ACC football, but just how big of a deal is it around here?
We keep an eye on TV ratings, flawed as they may be, as one tiny piece of evidence of fans' interest in a team or sport. We don't make news judgments based on that (maybe we should?), but we know what folks are watching.
Read on ...
Two Saturdays ago, N.C. State's important football game at Clemson (at noon on ESPN2) was watched in fewer than 10,000 households in the Triad TV market, which covers 16 counties, including Guilford and Forsyth. Stock-car racing's Busch Series event at Hampton, Ga., drew a larger audience in roughly the same time period. And the Carolina-Miami game, the greatest upset in UNC football history? That drew a rating that was slightly less than the State game! How can that happen on Tobacco Road?
Then last Saturday, again, more important ACC football games, or so it seemed. But the Busch Series again was the most-watched event on Saturday in the Triad, in about 34,000 households on NBC's WXII-12. Second? CBS' Notre Dame-Tennessee on WFMY. Third on the list was State's game against Georgia Tech, but it was watched in about the same number of households, 28,000, that might watch a Braves-Phillies game in August. On down the list was the Virginia Tech at North Carolina, and this was a big football game for the Tar Heels and their bowl possibilities, watched in 22,000 households.
All of these viewership numbers pale in comparison to the Nextel Cup series, seen in about 78,000 households on Sunday. Or the Panthers' game, watched in about 71,000 households.
I've always believed this was a basketball state (a Duke-Carolina game might be seen in 125,000 households). Seeing ratings like these does nothing to change my mind.
Why don't North Carolinians, or at least those of us in the Triad, get into ACC football?
Comments (3)
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Hmmm. Three straight posts on ACC football. No comments.
I don't think many people care.
Posted on November 11, 2004 8:24 AM
We care up here in Virginia. Go Hokies! ;-)
Posted on November 15, 2004 1:39 AM
I'm paying attention to UNC football, but only belatedly. I think bringing in Miami and VT has really diluted the league to the point that a lot of folks quit paying attention. In-state teams just don't have a lot of prospects for winning the ACC or going to a big bowl, so we've all collectively tuned out. When UNC beat Miami, I started paying attention again. I have some hope they'll go to a small bowl. Other than that, I've set my mind to "maybe next year".
Posted on November 15, 2004 11:10 AM