The SEC’s TV ratings dominance is getting scary for the Big Ten
Despite winning three straight national championships, the Big Ten faces a problem that’s entering crisis territory: the TV ratings gap between the Big Ten and the SEC is widening. Some of this can be dismissed by pointing to the soft schedule the Big Ten has opened with, how early we are in the season, or…
The SEC's television ratings supremacy is creating significant challenges for the Big Ten. As the Big Ten has distanced itself from ESPN and ABC, it has struggled to compete with the SEC in terms of viewership. The Big Ten has been left with a Friday night game, a modest alternative to College GameDay, and a noon showcase game, along with several mediocre games on BTN and FS1.
While the Big Ten and ESPN parted ways in 2018, FOX, which now controls the Big Ten's media rights, has struggled to match the SEC's success. FOX has made money but has faced criticism for not doing enough to improve its television product. The Big Ten's ratings have been falling, with only a handful of games featuring ranked teams.
However, Fox prioritizes ratings projections over airing competitive games, leading to mediocre ratings and a weakened Big Noon brand. The SEC has capitalized on this situation by adding more conference games, resulting in more compelling matchups for viewers.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
