Report: ESPN sees 'potential' for Bill Belichick TV ratings to mirror Deion Sanders impact

In 2023, Deion Sanders brought Prime Time to Colorado. The Buffaloes were a ratings hit, making a near-weekly appearance in the Top 10 most-watched college football games.

More Hall of Fame star power is coming to college football in 2025, this time in Chapel Hill. Bill Belichick is gearing up for his first season at North Carolina, bringing plenty of attention to the program along with him. That was apparent at ACC Media Days this week as crowds of reporters listened to what the six-time Super Bowl champion coach had to say.

ESPN is also in position to capitalize with eight – maybe 10 – UNC games on its networks, Front Office Sports reported. As for whether the company is expecting a Coach Prime-like surge, it certainly sees “potential.”

“We have to wait and see. The potential is there,” said Kurt Dargis, ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions, in an interview with FOS. “There’s definitely interest in him outside the typical college football fan.

“Deion was such a phenomenon. I still can’t believe some of the numbers we got that first year he was there. It’s too early to say.”

ESPN capitalizing early on Bill Belichick at UNC

ESPN’s main channel is set to air North Carolina’s opener against TCU, which will take place in primetime on Monday, Sept. 1 with an 8 p.m. ET kickoff. The network will also broadcast College Football Countdown from Chapel Hill, hosted by Matt Barrie. Analysts Tedy Bruschi, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Nick Saban will also be in attendance, as will college football insider Pete Thamel.

North Carolina’s Week 2 matchup against Charlotte will be exclusively on ESPN+, and Week 3 against Richmond will be on ACC Network – owned by ESPN. Two other Tar Heels games have already been picked up by ESPN. North Carolina’s Oct. 17 game at Cal will be on ESPN with a 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff, and ESPN will air the Oct. 31 matchup at Syracuse.

Of course, TCU was also the season opener for Sanders’ first season at Colorado in 2022. The Buffaloes wound up winning that game 45-42, thrusting the program into the national spotlight as Coach Prime and Co. took down a team fresh off a national championship berth.

Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes previously joked this year’s opener was “bad scheduling” given that recent history. However, at Big 12 Media Days, he told ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg he thinks the program is better prepared to deal with such an anticipated matchup.