Football Game Ratings Increased by Nielsen's Adjustments in College Football Contests
In a significant move to cater to the growing popularity of college football, Nielsen has expanded its Big Data + Panel ratings currency. This expansion aims to provide more accurate viewership data for games, particularly in college towns where interest in these matches is high.
The first weekend of the 2025-26 college football season saw a remarkable surge in ratings, with four games, including the much-anticipated Ohio State vs. Texas Longhorns showdown, smashing the 10 million viewer mark. The Ohio State vs. Texas game, broadcast on Fox's Big Noon Saturday, delivered the largest Week 1 audience on record, averaging over 16.6 million viewers.
The expansion is expected to have a significant impact on ratings for college football games in the future. Notably, it will benefit the SEC and Big Ten conferences, as well as the networks that broadcast their games. Fox's Saturday broadcast of the Ohio State vs. Texas Longhorns game outranked six of the last winter's 10 College Football Playoff games.
ABC also saw a boost in its ratings, posting its all-time biggest Week 1 deliveries. Three of the games on ABC were up nearly 40% versus the comparable triad in 2024.
The increased ratings will allow advertisers to better target their ads to college football audiences, potentially leading to higher advertising revenue for games in college towns. The expanded ratings will also provide more accurate viewership data, ensuring a more informed advertising landscape.
The Texas Longhorns football team, helmed by Arch Manning, was a significant draw for viewers. The sports channel with the highest viewership in the 2025-26 season for college football broadcasts in the United States has not been explicitly identified. However, RTL in Germany achieved record high NFL playoff viewing figures for the 2025 season, suggesting strong American football interest but not specifying college football viewership or U.S. channels.
The expansion is a response to the increasing demand for accurate viewership data in the ever-evolving landscape of college football. As the sport continues to grow in popularity, the need for reliable data to inform advertising strategies becomes increasingly important. The expanded ratings currency by Nielsen is a step towards meeting this demand and ensuring a more accurate and informed advertising environment for college football.
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