National Championship Sets Cable Television Record

By  //  January 13, 2015

Pulled in 33.4 million viewers

Zeek-Elliot-580-1
Fresh of drawing a then-record 28.3 million people in the Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama, Ohio State’s victory over Oregon in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Game pulled in 33.4 million viewers. ( Brandon Wade/AP Photo )

Fresh off drawing a then-record 28.3 million people in the Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama, Ohio State’s victory over Oregon in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Game pulled in 33.4 million viewers.

That’s a 5.1 million increase. More impressive, perhaps: The 18.5 overnight rating, the highest ever on ESPN, was an increase of 21 percent over last year’s BCS title game between Florida State and Auburn.

A lot of things are responsible for the staggering numbers, including the fact Ohio State is a power brand and this was the first playoff in a sport that long called for a playoff.

The Ohio State-Oregon rating peaked at a 20.5 from 9:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. ET.

Columbus, Ohio was the top metered city with a 51.2 rating and Portland, Oregon (37.6) was fourth. Columbus and Dayton got a 43.8 followed by Cleveland (41.3), Portland, Birmingham (36.1), Cincinnati (26.5), Jacksonville (25.7) and Knoxville (25.5).

– See more at: btn.com