New York – FOX Sports recorded its most-watched college football season ever in 2016 with an average audience of 1,320,000 viewers on the FOX broadcast network and FS1, representing a combined viewership increase of +11% over the 2015 season, according to Nielsen Media Research.
FS1 saw a huge jump in 2016, with a +23% viewership increase over 2015. The Red River Showdown, an exciting 45-40 win for Oklahoma over Texas on Saturday, Oct. 8, led this season’s schedule, drawing 2,788,000 viewers and stands as the second most-watched college football game in FS1 history.
On the FOX broadcast network, Ohio State’s win over Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 17, attracted 5,804,000 viewers and was the most-watched regular-season game of the season and is the network’s third most-watched regular-season college football telecast ever. On championship weekend, the Pac-12 Championship Game between Washington and Colorado on Friday, Dec. 2, delivered 5,671,000 viewers on FOX, a +120% increase over the 2015 game on ESPN, and the second most-watched Pac-12 Championship Game in history. The following night, on Saturday, Dec. 3, the Big Ten Championship Game between Penn State and Wisconsin scored 9,189,000 viewers, beating the ACC Championship Game, which aired in the same time slot on ABC, by +72%.
SOURCE: FOX Sports Release