CFB Bowl Games Give ESPN Watch-Time Win
Thanks in part to the Rose, Peach and Sugar Bowls, ESPN captured a a 10.44% viewership share last week, per Inscape.
Each week, we highlight the most-watched shows and networks using insights from Inscape, the currency-grade smart TV ACR data provider and data technology division of Vizio. Data is linear, live TV only and includes all episode types (new and reruns). Rankings are by percent share duration (i.e., time spent watching). Here's a look at the top 25 networks for December 30, 2024 through January 5, 2025 — head over to TVREV to see the program ranking and get insights about the top shows by watch-time.
Usually we see a broadcast TV network lead the watch-time ranking, but it’s that special time of year when college football bowl games switch things up: Thanks to the Rose, Peach and Sugar Bowls (among other programming), ESPN takes first place with a 10.44% viewership share. And simulcasts of a few bowl games on ESPN2 and ESPNU helped propel those networks into the ranking, landing at No. 11 and No. 23, respectively.
- Second place goes to ABC, with its 9.73% viewership share fueled in part by the NFL, Good Morning America, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025 and the Citrus Bowl.
- CBS remains in third place week-over-week, but saw a notable jump in watch-time (from 6.74% previously to 8.07%), thanks in part to NFL games, The Price Is Right, New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash and the 82nd Annual Golden Globes.
- CNN jumps from No. 19 previously to No. 10, with top programming by watch-time including CNN News Central and CNN New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.
- Outside of ESPN2 and ESPNU, additional week-over-week ranking newcomers include TV Land (from No. 26 to No. 17), Paramount Network (from No. 20 to No. 19) and Game Show Network (from No. 27 to No. 25).
There’s lots of football fun to be seen on the TV program ranking, which you can check out on TVREV.
