Big 12 title game drew big ratings

[jumperstop]

By David Ubben
Oklahoma's win against Nebraska in the Big 12 title game was the season's fourth most-watched college football broadcast.

It drew 8,981,000 viewers, and only the SEC Championship, Auburn-Alabama and Boise State-Virginia Tech were bigger draws in 2010.

Considering that all three games above it had what appeared to be major BCS Championship Game implications at the time, that spot is a little surprising. Oklahoma and Nebraska had plenty of off-field intrigue, but weren't playing for much more on the field than a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.

Perhaps if the regular-season ratings can't match that in 2011, Bo Pelini's statement about the Big 12 Championship returning eventually could come true.

The seventh most-watched broadcast of the season was an ABC regionalized broadcast that featured both Oklahoma-Oklahoma State and Notre Dame-USC.

Additionally, that morning's broadcast of "College GameDay" from the campus of Oklahoma State was the season's most-watched episode, with 2.4 million viewers.

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/23316/big-12-title-game-drew-big-ratings

Saw this on article on orangepower, didn't have the heart to tell them that bedlam and the College Gameday there didn't have high ratings because of them.

[IndySooner]

Imagine what the ratings would have been like if that game were to get into a playoff instead of a meaningless bowl game!

[bigfatjerk]

Every conference should have a title game no matter how many are in each conference.

[jumperstop]

Every conference should have a title game no matter how many are in each conference.

I think they have a rule where you can only have a championship if you have more than 10 or something like that. That's why we couldn't have one next year even if we wanted too.

[bigfatjerk]

I think they have a rule where you can only have a championship if you have more than 10 or something like that. That's why we couldn't have one next year even if we wanted too.

I know the rule says you need at least 12 to have a conference title. But it should just be all conferences.

In basketball all conferences except the Ivy League have conference tournaments. Do the same in football or get rid of all conference title games. One or the other.

[jumperstop]

I know the rule says you need at least 12 to have a conference title. But it should just be all conferences.

In basketball all conferences except the Ivy League have conference tournaments. Do the same in football or get rid of all conference title games. One or the other.

Agree

[silverwheels]

I don't see the point in having a conference title game if the conference schedule is round robin. That's the best way to do it, anyway.

[jumperstop]

I don't see the point in having a conference title game if the conference schedule is round robin. That's the best way to do it, anyway.

Probably the most fair, but definitely not the best. You get so much more money and exposure with a CCG. You're conference has the appearance of being more powerful than the others (SEC, Big 12 vs Big 10, Pac 10 the past few years). For all of you guys who don't think we should expand back to 12, you'll see in the next few years how much no CCG hurts our chances in the National title hunts.

[Soonerfan88]

Agree with silverwheels. The only reason larger conferences have conference games is because all the teams don't play each other. A complete round robin schedule is the only true way to determine a conference champion.

[silverwheels]

I meant it was the most accurate way to find a champion. I wasn't taking money and exposure into consideration.

[jumperstop]

Agree with silverwheels. The only reason larger conferences have conference games is because all the teams don't play each other. A complete round robin schedule is the only true way to determine a conference champion.

The most fair, but not what most of the general public wants. I really do think we'll get left out being the only major conference other than the big least to not have one. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I just love the CCG. Gives a lot more excitement to the conference championship race.

[Soonerwake]

I don't see the point in having a conference title game if the conference schedule is round robin. That's the best way to do it, anyway.

Except in years where three teams tie for first. Just ask fans of tOSU, MSU, and Wisky... Of course, who plays for the championship and who gets left out?? :confused:

[Soonerfan88]

Didn't seem to hurt tOSU and they not only didn't have a CCG but their entire conference didn't play that week.


Edit: Wake, that is because the Big 10 isn't a true round robin. Every team doesn't play 2 others each year. tOSU, MSU, & Wisky did not all play this year and therefore you couldn't use a correct head-to-head tie breaker.

[jumperstop]

Except in years where three teams tie for first. Just ask fans of tOSU, MSU, and Wisky... Of course, who plays for the championship and who gets left out?? :confused:

Not everyone played everyone in their conference. MSU and tOSU didn't play this year.

[jumperstop]

Didn't seem to hurt tOSU and they not only didn't have a CCG but their entire conference didn't play that week.

But if it came down between two teams with the same record for the spot in the NCG and one was playing in a CCG and the other wasn't even playing, the team with the CCG would definitely get a better shot at playing in the title game.

[TheLadiesMike]

The CCG has really been a driving force in boosting the ACC the last five years.

[85sooners]

:pop:

[Jmorales22]

Considering that all three games above it had what appeared to be major BCS Championship Game implications at the time, that spot is a little surprising. Oklahoma and Nebraska had plenty of off-field intrigue, but weren't playing for much more on the field than a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.


I know the BCS game has a nice payout, but to me that's more of a side-prize. Winning that game earns you a trophy, and that's why the players were jumping up and down when the last pass went incomplete.

[TahoeSOONER]

I know the BCS game has a nice payout, but to me that's more of a side-prize. Winning that game earns you a trophy, and that's why the players were jumping up and down when the last pass went incomplete.

The trophy is another in a long line of hardware. Beating Nebraska one last time as conference rivals is priceless and bigger than any trophy.

[yermom]

Ohio State hasn't seemed to have a problem getting to the title game in the last few years

it sounds like they are going to move more of the last games of the season to the week after Thanksgiving to get them on TV the same day as the championship games

[MyT Oklahoma]

The trophy is another in a long line of hardware. Beating Nebraska one last time as conference rivals is priceless and bigger than any trophy.

Yep.

[yermom]

we get the trophy either way :D

it was really nice to send Nebraska packing without another trophy though

the North hasn't won one but twice in the last decade. (neither were Nebraska)

i'm guessing a lot of them up there aren't really going to miss the game

i'm looking at you Missouri ;)

[King Barry's Back]

I know the rule says you need at least 12 to have a conference title. But it should just be all conferences...or get rid of all conference title games. One or the other.

That's a pretty bold statement to make without listing even one fact to support it.

[aero]

I used to hate the CCG because it seemed like there were years I thought we had proved throughout the season we were the best in the B12 and had nothing to gain with a CCG win but plenty to lose with a loss. I got used to the game and actually kind of liked the intensity of battling for the south title and then the CCG trophy and all its trappings. Whether its with a CCG or not, it always is just a matter of winning games and everything else will fall into place.

[King Barry's Back]

Agree with silverwheels. The only reason larger conferences have conference games is because all the teams don't play each other. A complete round robin schedule is the only true way to determine a conference champion.

This isn't true. There are many reasons to have (or not have) a conference championship game -- and the primary reason to do it is money.

[bigfatjerk]

That's a pretty bold statement to make without listing even one fact to support it.

The only fact was that you need 12 teams for the NCAA to allow for conference title games. I think that needs to be changed for money reasons. I think it's stupid that conferences don't have a title game.

[King Barry's Back]

I used to hate the CCG because it seemed like there were years I thought we had proved throughout the season we were the best in the B12 and had nothing to gain with a CCG win but plenty to lose with a loss. I got used to the game and actually kind of liked the intensity of battling for the south title and then the CCG trophy and all its trappings. Whether its with a CCG or not, it always is just a matter of winning games and everything else will fall into place.

I never loved the Big XII Championship game. It always had kind of an artificial feel to it. Just put on by the corporate suits to line their pockets, not a made for the fans, or players, type event.

It also often seemed anti-climactic, like kind of an after thought.

I think the main reason it seemed anti-climactic was that the Big XII Championship matched up divisional champions, rather than the best two teams in the conference. Remember when aTm beat KSU? Those were two of the top teams in the country, really playing for something.

Those years we beat a mediocre Colorado or Mizzou from a soft North Div didn't bring alot.

Can you imagine if that game had instead matched the top two seeds from the regular season?

That would have made the Big XII title game one of the great matchups year in and year out.

[King Barry's Back]

The only fact was that you need 12 teams for the NCAA to allow for conference title games. I think that needs to be changed for money reasons. I think it's stupid that conferences don't have a title game.

What I am interested in is why do you think it's stupid not to have title games?

Is it purely from a revenue standpoint, or is there more to it?

Also, I am wondering, if every conference had a championship game, would the market be diluted and therefore the payout be a disappointment across the board?

[yermom]

i don't really mind not having one in theory as long as the conference has 10 or less teams and they all play each other

i do like how it gives you another dimension to the season, and removes the co-champions thing though

imagine how crappy 2007 would have been if we didn't have a championship game. Mizzou wins the conference, goes to the national championship game and we probably go to the Cotton Bowl

[silverwheels]

Mizzou didn't play everyone in 2007, though.

[yermom]

i'm just saying if magically we were the Big 12-2 that year and the relative records were the same

[silverwheels]

But then we wouldn't have played Colorado since they would be gone and we would have tied with Mizzou, giving us the conference title due to head-to-head. :D

[aero]

I never loved the Big XII Championship game. It always had kind of an artificial feel to it. Just put on by the corporate suits to line their pockets, not a made for the fans, or players, type event.

It also often seemed anti-climactic, like kind of an after thought.

Yes, you're spot on, IMO. Many times it was anti-climactic and the north brought little to the game. That's why I resented the CCG. With any team having a punchers chance in a single game, it didn't seem right that the better team, and what should be the league champ, could lose and the league as a whole suffer. And yes, I too felt like it was just for the corporate dollar which made it all the worse. But like I said, if you win everything else will work out, CCG or not.

[Dwight]

I prefer a CCG, but a round robin is sufficient. I think every conference needs a CCG, or no conference needs a CCG.

[aero]

I've always thought all the conferences would eventually align to where there was 12 teams per conference and all had CCG's If it ended up there was 10 or 11 conferences then all of the CC's would get into a playoff and 5 or 6 wild cards based on rankings to make a 16 team playoff.

[usaosooner]

I prefer a CCG, but a round robin is sufficient. I think every conference needs a CCG, or no conference needs a CCG.

This...all of it

i just think we are in a very weak position as a conference going forward

[ouwasp]

I didn't really care for the CCG, but got used to the idea.

One thing that I always found retarded was playing such an important game...at night, in KC, in December. And the SEC played an indoor game in Atlanta in the afternoon? WTH?

Couldn't ABC just flip the time slots?

[MeMyself&Me]

I'm not that big on the all do it or none do it in terms of a mandatory thing. For one, this is a choice for each conference which means each program has a say in how they want to do it. If the Big 12 wanted to keep it, all they have to do is invite a couple schools to replace Nebbish and Buffs. The Big 10 and Pac 10 could have done it years ago by inviting a school or two in but didn't. Up until this year, I thought that the fact the Big 12 and the SEC did it, it was kind of risky but it did put the winners of those CCG in a class above the other conferences (ACC was supposed to be doing it too but they've jut sucked). Now that all the other major conferences are doing it (Big East doesn't count as major imo), it does put the Big 12 at a disadvantage. However, it's a choice the Big 12 has made. If a Big 12 team gets 'screwed' in the future because of this, the Big 12 only has itself to blame.

[jumperstop]

This...all of it

i just think we are in a very weak position as a conference going forward

I agree completely. Not saying it'll be impossible for us to get to the NCG, but I wouldn't think the lack of a CCG helps our chances.

[royalfan5]

I didn't really care for the CCG, but got used to the idea.

One thing that I always found retarded was playing such an important game...at night, in KC, in December. And the SEC played an indoor game in Atlanta in the afternoon? WTH?

Couldn't ABC just flip the time slots?

Since CBS has the rights to the SEC game, I'm going to go with no.

[MeMyself&Me]

ICouldn't ABC just flip the time slots?

Whoa now!!! Don't go and try to make sense and all about TV time slots of college football! We'll all get pissed, angry, and have a huge hangover like headache without the 'night before' like fun that usually accompanies said headache.

[ouwasp]

Since CBS has the rights to the SEC game, I'm going to go with no.

heh... shows how much attention I paid to the SEC :O

In that case, ABC should have simply been willing to go head-to-head. But, I get it.... it's all about the $.

[jumperstop]

heh... shows how much attention I paid to the SEC :O

In that case, ABC should have simply been willing to go head-to-head. But, I get it.... it's all about the $.

They normally do go head to head, by putting ****ty ACC championship up against the SEC championship game. Save their better game for the evening.

[ouduckhunter]

Remarkable numbers!! I love it when I see something like this. :)

[MamaMia]

Does College Game Day only show up at an OU/osu game when its in Stillwater instead of Norman? :confused:

[MamaMia]

We all love the CCG when we are in it and we win. Its not so fun when you end up with an injured QB or various other players because of it, and then we have to limp into a Bowl game with a battered team. Playing in the bitter cold up in Kansas all those years against some teams who had more losses that we did and a not so good SOS, was not my idea of proving anything.

[Okie35]

Funny I just got done watching it again last night.

[Okie35]

Does College Game Day only show up at an OU/osu game when its in Stillwater instead of Norman? :confused:

Yea they've only been to two games for OU/OSU the one earlier this year and the one in 08. Gameday went to 5 of our games in 2000. I didn't even remember all that. Thats crazy.

[jumperstop]

Does College Game Day only show up at an OU/osu game when its in Stillwater instead of Norman? :confused:

They've been to stoolwater 3 times, all for OU games. I think they've only been to one bedlam in Norman.