Heisman hits high; Celebration Bowl up big
Last Saturday’s Heisman Trophy Presentation, won by Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter, averaged a 1.3 rating and 2.52 million viewers on ESPN — the largest audience for the awards show in five years (2019: 2.54M). Peaking at 3.1 million in the 8:45 PM ET quarter-hour, viewership increased 9% from last year.
The Heisman led into the Salute to Veterans Bowl (the Camellia Bowl) between South Alabama and Western Michigan at 1.2 million, actually down 20% from last year, when the game aired two days before Christmas (Northern Illinois-Arkansas State: 1.6M).
In other postseason action, the Jackson State-South Carolina State Celebration Bowl averaged 2.1 million on ABC (+37%), leading into a Mercer-North Dakota State FCS quarterfinal at 1.4 million (+32%). The three FCS quarterfinal games on ABC and ESPN averaged 1.0 million.
Shifting to the workweek, the Memphis-West Virginia Frisco Bowl averaged 1.2 million — up 21% from UTSA-Marshall a year ago (988K).
Last Saturday’s Heisman Trophy Presentation, won by Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter, averaged a 1.3 rating and 2.52 million viewers on ESPN — the largest audience for the awards show in five years (2019: 2.54M). Peaking at 3.1 million in the 8:45 PM ET quarter-hour, viewership increased 9% from last year.
The Heisman led into the Salute to Veterans Bowl (the Camellia Bowl) between South Alabama and Western Michigan at 1.2 million, actually down 20% from last year, when the game aired two days before Christmas (Northern Illinois-Arkansas State: 1.6M).
In other postseason action, the Jackson State-South Carolina State Celebration Bowl averaged 2.1 million on ABC (+37%), leading into a Mercer-North Dakota State FCS quarterfinal at 1.4 million (+32%). The three FCS quarterfinal games on ABC and ESPN averaged 1.0 million.
Shifting to the workweek, the Memphis-West Virginia Frisco Bowl averaged 1.2 million — up 21% from UTSA-Marshall a year ago (988K).
