Tampa looks good to the football nation. 26 million watch Clemson beat Alabama
If it was national exposure that Tampa wanted when they landed The Playoff National Championship they got it. According to ratings information supplied to News Talk Florida by ESPN, more than 26,029,000 viewers, saw the event live on one of networks many platforms.
It was the most-watched event carried on a cable network since the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship (January 11, 2016) between the same two teams (26,709,000 viewers).
The three College Football Playoff games (semifinals + national championship) total live audience average was 22,230,000 viewers, up 9% from last season’s same three game total live audience average (20,331,000 viewers). Factoring in the entire New Year’s Six, the seven games (New Year’s Six + national championship) averaged a total live audience of 16,044,000 viewers, up 15% from last season’s seven game total live audience average (14,004,000 viewers).
On just ESPN, the Tigers-Crimson Tide’s TV viewership drew 24,391,000 viewers, the eighth most-watched cable telecast of all time. Overall, ESPN has televised the nine most-watched cable telecasts ever, with the College Football Playoff holding each of the top 3 spots (2015 National Championship and both 2015 Semifinals), as well as No. 6 (2016 National Championship) and No. 8.
Total live audience for 2017 and 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship includes TV viewership from ESPN’s Nielsen-rated networks (ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU) and streaming feeds which were part of the MegaCast. SEC Network, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic and ESPN Goal Line are not rated and thus not included.
ESPN has aired a MegaCast for all three years of the College Football Playoff National Championship.
During the week that ESPN, FOX Sports and the host of other networks that were in town there was over 400 hours of television, radio and streaming programming being produced live from Tampa.
Not a bad national postcard for the city.
