Syracuse-Duke game 4.2 million viewers North Carolina-Duke game had 2.2 million viewers

[Alsacs]

@Ourand_SBJ, viewers for #Duke-UNC: 2.3M. Duke-Syracuse: 4.2M. Welcome to the new ACC indeed.


Oh boy while I don't think Syracuse-Duke should play twice a year if the games between Duke-SU are going to attract that many viewers ESPN aka the ACC'S overlord may demand 2 games annually. I realize UNC-Duke is still the best basketball rivalry in college basketball, but those ratings for the 2 Syracuse-Duke games are sick.

Syracuse-Duke outdrew Oklahoma City-Miami on TNT.

 

[MikeSU02]

@Ourand_SBJ, viewers for #Duke-UNC: 2.3M. Duke-Syracuse: 4.2M. Welcome to the new ACC indeed.


Oh boy while I don't think Syracuse-Duke should play twice a year if the games between Duke-SU are going to attract that many viewers ESPN aka the ACC'S overlord may demand 2 games annually. I realize UNC-Duke is still the best basketball rivalry in college basketball, but those ratings for the 2 Syracuse-Duke games are sick.

Syracuse-Duke outdrew Oklahoma City-Miami on TNT.

That isn't counting the local ACC stations for Duke/UNC, but it doesn't matter. I'm guessing they are trying to figure out how much has to go in the bag of cash to JB and K to get them to support twice a year - because it will be happening.

 

[jordoo]

SU-Duke needs to have home and home every season. They don't have an official regular season champ anyways.

Make it happen Swafford! (I know spelling is probably wrong)

 

[Toga]

Fresh v Stale

 

[Alsacs]

Also, UNC-Duke had the 9pm start time which helps ratings nationally with West Coast viewers being able to watch more of the game while Syracuse-Duke had a 7pm start time which hurts viewing on the left coast. These ratings are going to cause ESPN to want 2 SU-Duke games annually.

 

[SUfaninAZ]

I for one would like to play them twice per year.

 

[cpatrocks]

JB said during the 2nd Duke presser that the schedule for next year is set and they don't play Duke twice next year - and he is happy about that.

I'm pretty sure JB was wrong on this one.

 

[two3zone]

I'd rather play Duke twice and split than play a Florida state twice and win both. I think it adds excitement to the season and so far we've had two legendary matchups against them.

 

[Noexcuse]

I'd rather play Duke twice and split than play a Florida state twice and win both. I think it adds excitement to the season and so far we've had two legendary matchups against them.

Not to mention it makes the rematch (if they meet up) in the ACC Tourney that much more compelling - this year particularly.

 

[jr4750]

I for one would like to play them twice per year.

me too! Play the best always...

 

[Briancuse]

And saturday nights are bad television nights, put that game on a thursday next year, and who knows how good the ratings would be.

 

[andyw715]

Yeah lets drop the Cuse/BC "partnership" let Louisville have them.

 

[snowycuse]

I would like to get rid of partnerships for basketball altogether. You play everyone H/A over the span of two years. The extra conference games, if you are going to have them, should be for the most compelling matchups in the conference ie Duke vs UNC. Three games for Syracuse would be picked most years from Duke, UNC, Louisville, Boston College, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh depending on different factors. Heading into 2014 I think you have to have Duke and Louisville H/A and based on this season you are looking at Pitt or BC for that third game. Does it make any sense in a world where the regular season means little to have BC, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest? No but something stupid like that will happen.

 

[Marsh01]

Was that more than the first game?

 

[Alsacs]

First game had rating of 2.9 which is the equivalent of 7.8 million viewers. First game had unbelievable hype and Super Bowl weekend helped. 4.4 million would be the 2nd highest game on ESPN this year. Duke-Syracuse have the 2 highest rated games this year on ESPN or cable.

 

[Upstate]

First game had rating of 2.9 which is the equivalent of 7.8 million viewers. First game had unbelievable hype and Super Bowl weekend helped. 4.4 million would be the 2nd highest game on ESPN this year. Duke-Syracuse have the 2 highest rated games this year on ESPN or cable.

That's incredible

 

[HoustonCuse]

I for one would like to play them twice per year.

Heck yeah. Why would we NOT want to play them 2x? I also pray they match us with Louisville instead of Pizz. It is another step in elevating the program to the absolute pinnacle level.

 

[HoustonCuse]

First game had rating of 2.9 which is the equivalent of 7.8 million viewers. First game had unbelievable hype and Super Bowl weekend helped. 4.4 million would be the 2nd highest game on ESPN this year. Duke-Syracuse have the 2 highest rated games this year on ESPN or cable.

I don't think that is true. I remember 4.3 million being the number for the first game. Definitely not 7+ mil.

 

[sutomcat]

Was that more than the first game?

I don't think that is true. I remember 4.3 million being the number for the first game. Definitely not 7+ mil.

According to this link, the first game had 4.7 million viewers. Duke-Syracuse is gold for ESPN.

 

[hallcity]

The question in my mind is the extent to which the high numbers are a reflection of the high rankings of the two teams or the novelty of the matchup. Should one of the teams not be so highly ranked next season, which could be the case for either team, would the Duke-Syracuse TV numbers remain high? What if UNC and Syracuse play next year with poll rankings comparable to those of Duke and Syracuse this season, what will the TV numbers look like? Could those TV numbers be just as high or even higher? What if Duke and Louisville play next year with comparable rankings to those enjoyed by Duke and Syracuse this season, what will the TV ratings look like? Will the TV numbers for Duke-Syracuse games go down as that matchup starts to seem like a regular thing?

I think it's too early to assume that a Duke-Syracuse matchup will always draw big TV numbers or that other conference matchups won't draw TV audiences as large or even larger. We just don't know. We're in a new era here. I certainly like the early stages of this era, however. I'm sure Commissioner Swofford and ESPN like them also.

 

[NKR1978]

And saturday nights are bad television nights, put that game on a thursday next year, and who knows how good the ratings would be.

Is that true for live sports or just scripted television? Seems college sports have made a concerted effort to own Saturday with the primetime ABC games for football and the primetime ESPN hoops games.

 

[SBU72]

That isn't counting the local ACC stations for Duke/UNC, but it doesn't matter. I'm guessing they are trying to figure out how much has to go in the bag of cash to JB and K to get them to support twice a year - because it will be happening.

No cash for JB, just a no 't' garantee!

 

[Knicks411]

First game had rating of 2.9 which is the equivalent of 7.8 million viewers. First game had unbelievable hype and Super Bowl weekend helped. 4.4 million would be the 2nd highest game on ESPN this year. Duke-Syracuse have the 2 highest rated games this year on ESPN or cable.

I don't think 2.9 is 7.8 million viewers is it? I think a point is close to 1 million homes; seems like a lot of viewers per home

 

[Orangeyes]

https://twitter.com/Ourand_SBJ/status/438379436426420224

 

[Briancuse]

Is that true for live sports or just scripted television? Seems college sports have made a concerted effort to own Saturday with the primetime ABC games for football and the primetime ESPN hoops games.

They don't do well in the bigger markets, they might do well in college towns.

The thought has always been that most people go out on saturday nights, so networks shy away from putting their better programming on saturdays.