ACC/Big Ten Challenge Up From '10, Fueled By Record-Setting Duke-Ohio State Game

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
           


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