The ratings for Monday night’s CFP National Championship game are in, and they were not great, which had everyone asking the same question: why?
Ohio State beat Notre Dame 34-23 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., to win the national championship. Entering the game, many fans noted that the contest lacked the type of buzz one would expect for a championship game. That belief was manifested through the TV ratings.
The game drew 22.1 million viewers, peaking with 26.1 million viewers from 8:30-8:45 p.m. ET. The ratings were down 12 percent from the Michigan-Washington game the year before.
Despite the down ratings, the game still drew the largest audience for a non-NFL event since the Super Bowl.
Ratings for the CFP title game are in:
– 22.1 million viewers
– Peaked with 26.1 Million viewers from 8:30-8:45 p.m. ET
– Most-viewed non-NFL sporting event over the past year— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) January 22, 2025
Why were the ratings down from the previous year? There are plenty of theories.
1) The game conflicted with the Inauguration Day. There was less buzz and split interest due to the game coming the same day that Donald Trump was inaugurated as president, which was a big event for those who voted for him.
2) There may have been some fatigue over the length of the college football season. This was the first year of a 12-team playoff. Due to the extra rounds of competition, the season ended on January 20, which is a week later than any other season had ended. Sports fans were also further invested in the NFL playoffs too, which took away some of the shine.
3) The game itself might not have been too appealing. Ohio State and Notre Dame both lost games in the regular season. The Buckeyes were also favored by more than a touchdown, suggesting a super close game was not expected.
4) ESPN continues to be in fewer and fewer homes due to costs and changing viewing habits. That’s a tough battle for them to continue to fight.
If I could make a suggestion, it would be to move the championship game to the Thursday before the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. That would put it in the sweetspot of not being overshadowed by the NFL.
