Fiesta Bowl Scores For Fox

Just received this press release from Fox Sports regarding the last Fiesta Bowl game it will air for at least the next four years. The 2010 matchup between Boise State and TCU was up 5% over the Sugar Bowl which aired in the same slot five years ago. Take a look.

2010 FIESTA BOWL POSTS +5% YEAR-TO-YEAR GAIN

BCS ON FOX UP +27% VS. ‘09

The FIESTA BOWL on FOX averaged an 8.2/13 average household rating/share with 13.8 million viewers last night for a competitive game between Texas Christian University and Boise State University, up +5% over last year’s comparable 7.8/13 (13.4 mill) for the Sugar Bowl (Alabama – Utah) in households, and up across key male demos including M18-34 (+20%, 5.4 vs. 4.5), M18-49 (+12%, 6.5 vs. 5.8), and M25-54 (+7%, 7.3 vs. 6.8). Compared to last year’s Fiesta Bowl which was powered by a Texas-Ohio State matchup, last night’s 8.2/13 was down -21% (10.4/17, 17.1 mill).

The matchup of Boise State and TCU clearly held its own when compared against recent BCS history. Of the 11 non-Championship BCS bowl games that FOX has aired, last night’s Fiesta Bowl ranks as the fifth highest-rated. The six games that last night’s game out-rated include two Sugar Bowls with traditional SEC powers (Alabama last year and Georgia in 2008) and four games that matched teams from BCS conferences (the last three Orange Bowls and the 2008 Fiesta Bowl).

The Fiesta Bowl powered FOX to a first place finish for the night averaging a 7.8/12 (8-11p) for the night easily out-rating CBS (5.8/9) by +34%, ABC (5.7/9)  by +37%, and NBC (3.1/5) by +152%.

Dallas led all markets with a sensational 22.8/35, followed by Birmingham (22.2/31), Salt Lake City (18.0/29), and Austin (17.3/28). Boise is not a metered market.

Through two-telecasts, the Bowl Championship Series on FOX is averaging an 8.4/14 (14.6 million viewers), up a hefty +27% over last year’s first two games (6.6/11, 11.3 mill).

Overall, Fox is going to miss having the BCS.