Numbers Can Show What You Want, But Seven Pac-12 Teams Topping Cowboys on TV?

STILLWATER – Okay, the numbers were there and I read them, but I take issue with the story in The Athletic authored by Stewart Mandel and titled: Mandel: TV numbers show Pac-12 might be healthier than we think (for now)

Like most of the stories on television attraction here in the wrath of college conference realignment the story uses Sports Media Watch for the research. Here is what Mandel’s story floated on numbers. He went back a fair reach using all games from 2015-2019 and 2021. You skip the COVID-19 pandemic season, although there was more captive audience in that season, but it was unevenly played by the various conferences. He used games not involving blueblood draws of Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12 and USC and UCLA in the Pac-12.

Where these numbers could become skewed is Oklahoma State is on a major carrier in the ESPN or FOX family virtually every week. The networks pick the games and the time slots. Selections alone tell you what the networks think.

The Cowboys have been carried on ESPN+/Big 12 Now streaming once a year on their third tier non conference game and two total conference games where the Big 12 and ESPN were trying to promote the streaming network. Oklahoma State has a larger sample size because fewer Pac 12 games are shown on over-the-air television or cable that draws ratings. Many Pac-12 games are on the Pac-12 Networks and don’t get ratings. 

Also, as one of my radio listeners pointed out, virtually all Oklahoma State games kickoff in either the noon, 3:30 p.m., or prime time Saturday slots and face competition from all other networks. Many of the Pac-12 games kick off at 10:30 p.m. (ET) and face competition from maybe one or two other networks. I’ll agree that the Pac-12 after dark increases viewers because if you are a football fan, you have few choices in that time slot. 

Here is my latest sample to go along with others we have presented including the Sports Media Watch own numbers that had Oklahoma State at 18^th nationally over the past seven years minus 2020. I went back last season to November, when the most crucial football is played and I took November to the bowl games and here is what it shows. This is a lot of material, but it is hard to put all of those Pac-12 teams over Oklahoma State in television watchability. In fact, you can make a strong case that America would rather watch Oklahoma State play football right now over USC and UCLA. The play on the field makes that a definite.

Rose Bowl wins big, but Ohio State is a bigger draw than Notre Dame, The numbers show that weekly.

Big 12 crushes Pac-12 and Pac-12 had primetime on Friday night all to themselves.

I know, it was Bedlam and a birth in the Big 12 Championship was on the line. That game pretty much tripled any offering from the Pac-12 including Notre Dame at Stanford.

Hand it to the Ducks and Utes in the first meeting previewing the Pac-12 Championship as they win by more than double. However, Oklahoma State at Texas Tech beats UCLA and USC on the same network. Oklahoma State increased viewers after the battle for LA.

Pac-12 had little to offer. TCU was in the midst of a poor season and the game was a rout.

No excuses, this is why Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark needs to go after the Ducks and the Huskies. The next two games on the board show the lack of competition in the 10:30 p.m. slot. There was NO competition  for USC-Arizona State. No other games at all. Oklahoma State at West Virginia was up against Michigan State at Purdue (4.4) on ABC, Auburn at Texas A&M (3.79) on CBS, Navy at Notre Dame (1.86) on NBC, Baylor at TCU (1.80) on FOX, Penn State at Maryland (936,000) on FS1, and Tulsa at Cincinnati (786,000) on ESPN2. 

Again, this is a fair look at the television games in the hottest month of the season. I like Oregon and Washington. TV Networks like Oklahoma State. I’ve said Utah is a good draw and they play good football. The rest I can’t make a case for.