The ACC/Big Ten Challenge averaged a 0.9 U.S. rating and 1.3 million viewers for eight games across ESPN and ESPN2 this year, up 29% and 26%, respectively, from a 0.7 rating and 1.0 million viewers for nine telecasts last year. The telecasts were solely on Tuesday and Wednesday nights this season; the event began with a Monday night game in previous years. The gains this year were fueled by the Nov. 29 Duke-Ohio State matchup, which averaged a 2.3 rating and 3.4 million viewers, marking the most-watched ACC/Big Ten Challenge telecast since the event began in ’99. The game was ESPN’s most-viewed college sports telecast last week, topping the BCS Selection Show (3.0 million viewers) and the Clemson-Virginia Tech ACC Championship (2.8 million viewers). Listed below is a ratings and viewership trend for the tournament, as well as a breakdown of this year’s games. NOTE : Ratings/viewership unavailable for games on ESPNU.
DATE
|
START
|
NET
|
MATCHUP |
RAT.
|
VIEWERS (000)
|
11/29
|
9:37pm
|
ESPN
|
Duke-Ohio State |
2.3
|
3,422
|
11/30
|
9:39pm
|
ESPN
|
Wisconsin-North Carolina |
1.5
|
2,243
|
11/29
|
7:30pm
|
ESPN
|
Illinois-Maryland |
0.9
|
1,300
|
11/30
|
7:30pm
|
ESPN
|
Florida State-Michigan State |
0.8
|
1,164
|
11/30
|
7:15pm
|
ESPN2
|
Indiana-NC State |
0.5
|
799
|
11/29
|
7:00pm
|
ESPN2
|
Michigan-Virginia |
0.5
|
763
|
11/30
|
9:17pm
|
ESPN2
|
Virginia Tech-Minnesota |
0.3
|
511
|
11/29
|
9:03pm
|
ESPN2
|
Miami-Purdue |
0.3
|
484
|