Quote:
Originally Posted by warpaint*
That isn't true although that's where it's most popular. It's also popular in the midwest, & upper midwest. Not so much out west or in the northeast. Those ratings are driven by the teams playing. The largest #'s are always going to be geographically associated with the teams playing..
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Here is ESPN's analysis of market ratings by looking at the preseason top-25 last year:
Top 25 Teams & Markets
USC took the top spot of the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, but its home market of Los Angeles wasn’t in the top 25 of highest-rated local markets. Below is a look at the Top 25 and the correlating metered markets for each team. (Note: Some teams reach multiple markets while others are not located in a metered market. All markets are closest to the school’s hometown):
2012 Preseason Top 25 2011 Final Metered Market Rankings (Correlating Markets)
No. 1 USC No. 43 Los Angeles (1.4 rating)
No. 2 Alabama No. 1 Birmingham (5.9 rating)
No. 3 LSU No. 5 New Orleans (tied with 3.4 rating)
No. 4 Oklahoma No. 2 Oklahoma City (tied with 4.3 rating) & No. 7 Tulsa (tied with 3.3 rating)
No. 5 Oregon No. 25 Portland (tied with 2.0 rating)
No. 6 Georgia No. 5 Atlanta (tied with 3.4 rating)
No. 7 Florida State No. 7 Jacksonville (tied with 3.3 rating); No. 21 Orlando (2.3 rating); No. 22 West Palm Beach (tied with 2.2 rating) & No. 25 Tampa/St. Petersburg (tied with 2.0)
No. 8 Michigan No. 22 Detroit (tied with 2.2 rating)
No. 9 South Carolina No. 4 Greenville (4.1 rating)
No. 10 Arkansas No metered markets
No. 11 West Virginia No. 16 Pittsburgh (tied with 2.5 rating)
No. 12 Wisconsin No. 30 Milwaukee (tied with 1.9 rating)
No. 13 Michigan State No. 22 Detroit (tied with 2.2 rating)
No. 14 Clemson No. 4 Greenville (4.1 rating)
No. 15 Texas No. 12 Austin (tied with 2.7 rating); No. 37 San Antonio (tied with 1.6 rating); No. 37 Houston (tied with 1.6 rating) & No. 37 Dallas-Fort Worth (tied with 1.6 rating)
No. 16 Virginia Tech No. 16 Norfolk (tied with 2.5 rating); No. 25 Richmond (tied with 2.0 rating) & No. 30 Washington DC (tied with 1.9 rating)
No. 17 Nebraska No metered markets
No. 18 Ohio State No. 2 Columbus (tied with 4.3 rating); No. 11 Dayton (2.8 rating) & No. 20 Cleveland (2.4 rating)
No. 19 Oklahoma State No. 2 Oklahoma City (tied with 4.3 rating) & No. 7 Tulsa (tied with 3.3 rating)
No. 20 TCU No. 37 Dallas-Fort Worth (tied with 1.6 rating)
No. 21 Stanford No. 44 San Francisco (tied with 1.3 rating)
No. 22 Kansas State No metered markets
No. 23 Florida No. 7 Jacksonville (tied with 3.3 rating); No. 21 Orlando (2.3 rating); No. 22 West Palm Beach (tied with 2.2 rating) & No. 25 Tampa/St. Petersburg (tied with 2.0)
No. 24 Boise State No metered markets
No. 25 Louisville No. 32 Louisville (tied with 1.8 rating)
http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-re...three-in-2011/
Bottom line: south of the Mason-Dixon line, college football is wildly popular. Everywhere else, it isn't even if you have a good team nearby. It's really a sport for folks who don't have an NFL team or a long history with the NFL.