College Football Viewership 2016 through 2023- Rutgers Second Worst in P5

Knight Shift

Heisman
May 19, 2011
85,297
82,785
113
Oof, if correct. But includes the Ash error.




Double oof:


 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: redking

AntiG

All-Conference
Jan 27, 2012
4,507
3,557
113
doesn't really matter, we made the B1G like a third of all their schools' income just by allowing the BTN into NJ and NYC DMAs. The viewership numbers will come when Rutgers starts putting together a winning program regularly, hence why the huge leap from 2006-2010 in following.
 

Knight Shift

Heisman
May 19, 2011
85,297
82,785
113
Sorry, if this includes 2016-2020, well, it's kind of meaningless now.
Here are the Rutgers ratings for 2023 by opponent from the games as reported by @rutgersguy1 :

NW (CBS) 2.68M
Temple (BTN) 357K
VTech (BTN) 720K
Michigan (BTN) 1.94M
Wagner (BTN) 349K
Wisconsin (Peackock) 0.0
Mich. State (BTN) 503K
Indiana (BTN) 232K
Ohio State (CBS) 3.96M
Iowa (BTN) 714K
Penn State (FS1) 765K
Maryland (BTN) 424K

TOTAL- 12,644,000

The above total was for 2016-2023, for a total of 41.4 Million viewers over eight seasons, for 5.1 million viewers per season.

2016-20 must have been dismal.

2023, Rutgers had 12.6 million viewers (not including Peacock), more than double the average over 2016-23.
 

dan15701

Freshman
Jan 18, 2024
35
56
0
doesn't really matter, we made the B1G like a third of all their schools' income just by allowing the BTN into NJ and NYC DMAs. The viewership numbers will come when Rutgers starts putting together a winning program regularly, hence why the huge leap from 2006-2010 in following.
Do you know how ridiculous this claim is? A third of the distributed would be $282 million. Currently there are 1,992,794 paid tv subscribers in the state of NJ. In state the BTN get an average of $0.82 per month or $9.84 per subscriber. So that mean BTN makes 19.6 million a year. That ignores overhead, FOX who owns 51% of the network. To make even come remotely close to your claim the BTN would have to get $11.79 per customer.
 

mildone_rivals

Heisman
Dec 19, 2011
55,607
51,271
0
Do you know how ridiculous this claim is? A third of the distributed would be $282 million. Currently there are 1,992,794 paid tv subscribers in the state of NJ. In state the BTN get an average of $0.82 per month or $9.84 per subscriber. So that mean BTN makes 19.6 million a year. That ignores overhead, FOX who owns 51% of the network. To make even come remotely close to your claim the BTN would have to get $11.79 per customer.
Aw geez. Now you’ve done it.

I just got an email from the B10 that the fees are going up by $1.95. Thanks, dude.
 

AntiG

All-Conference
Jan 27, 2012
4,507
3,557
113
Do you know how ridiculous this claim is? A third of the distributed would be $282 million. Currently there are 1,992,794 paid tv subscribers in the state of NJ. In state the BTN get an average of $0.82 per month or $9.84 per subscriber. So that mean BTN makes 19.6 million a year. That ignores overhead, FOX who owns 51% of the network. To make even come remotely close to your claim the BTN would have to get $11.79 per customer.
Obviously I wasn't stating specific numbers LOL, it's whatever number it is but obviously a significant amount hence why I used "like a third" in a sarcastic manner which you just jumped all over without much thought. Also you are only considering NJ. Rutgers' addition to the conference allowed BTN distribution throughout NJ and NYC DMA. NYC DMA means all cable carriage in the NYC media area, this specific map:

Hence why even people not watching for Rutgers are paying for BTN as part of their subscriptions because of Rutgers, outside of the Pennsylvania county Pike, which was already carrying due to Penn State. Rutgers was one of the most profitable additions to any conference despite our football program being trash for a decade.
 

RUnTeX

All-Conference
Dec 21, 2001
7,091
4,251
113
NJ and NYC DMAs.
throughout NJ and NYC DMA.

Technically it's only the NYC DMA (and that's all it needs to be) as there is no separate DMA that comprises any NJ counties besides the NYC and Philadelphia DMAs. That said, the 13 NJ counties contained within the NYC DMA has enough population (~7M) to be a Top 10 DMA of its own, if it were hypothetically a separate DMA from the NYC DMA. Delany knew exactly what adding Rutgers meant even if not a single one of its fans existed across the Hudson River.
 

Retired711

All-American
Nov 20, 2001
19,646
9,802
58
Obviously I wasn't stating specific numbers LOL, it's whatever number it is but obviously a significant amount hence why I used "like a third" in a sarcastic manner which you just jumped all over without much thought. Also you are only considering NJ. Rutgers' addition to the conference allowed BTN distribution throughout NJ and NYC DMA. NYC DMA means all cable carriage in the NYC media area, this specific map:

Hence why even people not watching for Rutgers are paying for BTN as part of their subscriptions because of Rutgers, outside of the Pennsylvania county Pike, which was already carrying due to Penn State. Rutgers was one of the most profitable additions to any conference despite our football program being trash for a decade.
Here's the problem: cable is becoming less important. So carriage fees are increasingly not the key to whether a school is profitable to its conference. Rather, it's viewership. We need to become better to improve our viewership. Otherwise we will become a drag on the Big Ten.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ghost Town

RUTGERS95

Heisman
Sep 28, 2005
25,937
34,784
113
Here's the problem: cable is becoming less important. So carriage fees are increasingly not the key to whether a school is profitable to its conference. Rather, it's viewership. We need to become better to improve our viewership. Otherwise we will become a drag on the Big Ten.
actually, in some regions the price of cable has dropped upping the numbers. saturation analysis is key and we're seeing cable stablize. I do agree long term its' in trouble but if cable companies drop pricing, it's a new game. cable is better, easier etc. we are good for the foreseeable future

streaming becomes less relevant as more cable options open up and couple that with pricing changes by cable providers, you see a new dynamic that is starting to pop up

also, using data from 5yrs ago is irrelevant. we were 11th in BIG last year with avg over 1mm. when you add in the additions, we moved to 13 I believe

also, it's not just viewership but area of viewership as well. you could have double the viewers in Arkansas but those ad companies want the Rutgers or NE game due to income etc

much much more to this than just eyeballs
 
  • Like
Reactions: Leonard23

Retired711

All-American
Nov 20, 2001
19,646
9,802
58
actually, in some regions the price of cable has dropped upping the numbers. saturation analysis is key and we're seeing cable stablize. I do agree long term its' in trouble but if cable companies drop pricing, it's a new game. cable is better, easier etc. we are good for the foreseeable future

streaming becomes less relevant as more cable options open up and couple that with pricing changes by cable providers, you see a new dynamic that is starting to pop up

also, using data from 5yrs ago is irrelevant. we were 11th in BIG last year with avg over 1mm. when you add in the additions, we moved to 13 I believe

also, it's not just viewership but area of viewership as well. you could have double the viewers in Arkansas but those ad companies want the Rutgers or NE game due to income etc

much much more to this than just eyeballs
I would be very interested in your source for your statement that cable is stabilizing. Forbes, for one, is reporting that the decline continues.

It's not at all impossible that what you say may come true. There is a huge amount of churn among streaming services. Cable systems are increasingly incorporating streaming services. But my understanding is that, even for cable companies, streaming is less profitable than the traditional model. We'll have to see . . but if I were Rutgers, I would not count on being saved just by being in the NY DMA.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradad...ks-had-a-decline-in-audience/?sh=43da18fc3d92
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Leonard23

dan15701

Freshman
Jan 18, 2024
35
56
0
Obviously I wasn't stating specific numbers LOL, it's whatever number it is but obviously a significant amount hence why I used "like a third" in a sarcastic manner which you just jumped all over without much thought. Also you are only considering NJ. Rutgers' addition to the conference allowed BTN distribution throughout NJ and NYC DMA. NYC DMA means all cable carriage in the NYC media area, this specific map:

Hence why even people not watching for Rutgers are paying for BTN as part of their subscriptions because of Rutgers, outside of the Pennsylvania county Pike, which was already carrying due to Penn State. Rutgers was one of the most profitable additions to any conference despite our football program being trash for a decade.
The BTN negotiated it more or less on the state level not Nelson media network. Just think about it for a second. Do you think Tine Warner said to the BTN hey Rutgers is now in the conference. If you want to keep BTN we are going to raise the rate from $0.12 to $0.87.

There are currently 7.45 million households let’s assume everyone of them has paid TV subscription. (National average is 58.6%) let’s also assume the BTN got the $.87 (Realistically it probably much lower as for example BTN got $0.63 in Philadelphia) that is $77.8 million per year. Once again far lower than the your claim. More realistically they to $33 million per year using 58.6% and the $0.63 per subscriber.
 

PSU_Nut_rivals17625

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
14,642
2,609
0
actually, in some regions the price of cable has dropped upping the numbers. saturation analysis is key and we're seeing cable stablize. I do agree long term its' in trouble but if cable companies drop pricing, it's a new game. cable is better, easier etc. we are good for the foreseeable future
It is still declining. They lost 13% just last year. While streaming live TV providers has grown is has not come close to closing the gap. In fact they predict by 2025 the percentage of homes with pay live TV will drop to 50% from 56%.

 

megadrone

Senior
Jul 10, 2003
24,128
894
56
It's a numbers game. If the invite was to come now, we wouldn't get one. In the early 2010s we were in a better position.

But now that we are in, the likelihood of being asked to leave from the Big 10 would be small as there is the Academic council and ownership of the BTN to work through in any divorce. Not to say impossible but most likely, once you are in, you are in until you want to leave.
 

Leonard23

Heisman
Feb 2, 2006
29,384
11,673
113
The BTN negotiated it more or less on the state level not Nelson media network. Just think about it for a second. Do you think Tine Warner said to the BTN hey Rutgers is now in the conference. If you want to keep BTN we are going to raise the rate from $0.12 to $0.87.

There are currently 7.45 million households let’s assume everyone of them has paid TV subscription. (National average is 58.6%) let’s also assume the BTN got the $.87 (Realistically it probably much lower as for example BTN got $0.63 in Philadelphia) that is $77.8 million per year. Once again far lower than the your claim. More realistically they to $33 million per year using 58.6% and the $0.63 per subscriber.
BTN isn't negotiating with states. BTN has carriage agreements with cable providers and the rates are higher for customers in the B1G footprint. Reports from 2014 indicated we earned the B1G $48M/yr more from just 2 of the 3 largest cable providers in the NYC TV DMA (TWC and Cablevision) based on $1/sub. Adding Comcast and Fios earn the B1G even more, as does the Philly TV DMA in NJ. Recent reports have the rate as high as $1.50/sub, but no one knows the exact rate and it varies. Also, BTN has similar carriage agreements with streaming providers like YouTube TV, Hulu, Sling and fubo.
 
Last edited:
Oct 17, 2007
69,704
47,620
0
The figures from 2020 on would be a lot more interesting with GS back and a lot of competitiveness restored.