Why would Fox put Alabama vs. Texas at 11 a.m.?
On Monday, Fox announced it will broadcast the Sept. 10 matchup in Austin between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. No kickoff time was announced, but Fox’s propensity in recent years to put its top game in the 11 a.m. Central timeslot had Texas fans looking at an almanac in addition to an Athlon Sports.
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According to Weather Underground, the average temperature in Austin on Sept. 10 is 92.2 degrees. In 2021, the high was just short of that average at 92 degrees. Consultation with a hydration chart ahead of kickoff is a smart plan, especially if Fox chooses the a.m. kick time as part of their Big Noon Saturday broadcast.
But why would Fox, who rarely gets a SEC team on its channel, put this game at 11 a.m. instead of primetime, especially when it may include the No. 1 team in the country?
One reason, of course, is to continue to build recognition around the Big Noon Kickoff brand.
The second reason? People watch high-profile matchups regardless of start time.
From Week 0 to Week 13 of the 2021 college football season (14 weeks), Big Noon Saturday was the top-rated broadcast of the week six times.
- Week 2: Oregon vs. Ohio State – 4.25 rating
- Week 4: Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin – 3.1 rating
- Week 9: Michigan vs. Michigan State – 5.1 rating
- Week 10: Ohio State vs. Nebraska – 3.0 rating
- Week 11: Michigan vs. Penn State – 3.45 rating
- Week 13: Michigan vs. Ohio State – 8.1 rating, highest-rated regular season game in 2021
In addition, Big Noon Saturday was in the top two in ratings in Week 5 (Michigan vs. Wisconsin) and Week 12 (Michigan State vs. Ohio State).
There is a single team from outside of the Big 10 in the above rankings — the independent Fighting Irish.
The Big 12 was featured on Big Noon Kickoff several times. Though ABC/ESPN can put games at 11 a.m., rarely does that family of networks place the premier matchup available to them in the morning timeslot.
When the Big 12 was on at 12 p.m. Eastern on Fox, the ratings were:
- Sept. 18: Nebraska vs. Oklahoma – 2.45 rating (third most-watched – No. 1: Alabama vs. Florida at 2:30 p.m. on CBS)
- Oct. 9: Texas vs. Oklahoma – 3.4 rating (third most-watched – No. 1: Alabama vs. Texas A&M at 7 p.m. on CBS)
- Oct. 16: Texas vs. Oklahoma State – 1.85 rating (fifth most-watched – No. 1: Kentucky vs. Georgia at 2:30 p.m. on CBS)
- Nov. 13: Oklahoma vs. Baylor – 2.2 rating (fourth most-watched – No. 1: Michigan vs. Penn State at 11 a.m. on ABC)
- Nov. 20: Iowa State vs. Oklahoma – 1.9 rating (fifth most-watched – No. 1: Arkansas vs. Alabama at 2:30 on CBS)
If Fox puts Alabama vs. Texas at 11 a.m., it gets to…
- Have the game of the week where it typically puts its game of the week
- Have an SEC team, and potentially the No. 1 team in the country, with Fox’s No. 1 broadcast team of Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, and Jenny Taft
- Send its on-site pregame show to Austin for peak build-up and lead-in.
Big Noon Saturday had an average rating of 3.29 in 2021. The only Big 12 regular season contest on Big Noon Saturday that outperformed the average rating was the Red River Shootout. Combining Alabama and Texas, who does still draw viewership in spite of recent results, gives Fox its best chance at the highest possible rating. It’s why they picked this game with their first pick, after all.
It would be a surprise if Fox decided not to build upon its successful Saturday brand with one of the biggest matchups it will broadcast all season. It may be a hot one in Austin on Sept. 10, but the television execs are looking out for how to get 10 million viewers to their network, not for the best interests of 100,000 in attendance.
11 a.m. is likely the best way for Fox to achieve its goals.
