1. A lot was made when ABC/ESPN lost the Big Ten package in 2022. That conference now has its games split up between CBS, NBC, Fox and the Big Ten Network as part of a seven-year, $7 billion deal.
However, things have worked out just fine for ABC/ESPN thanks to the company acquiring rights to the SEC (the conference had been with CBS since 1996).
ABC has finished the 2024 season as the most-watched college football network. The SEC helped ABC increase its viewership by a whopping 56% from last season. The SEC also gave ABC its most-viewed season since 2009.
ESPN viewership for college football was up 19% over last season and 2024 ended up being the network’s most-watched college football season in eight years.
The most-watched college football game of the season was ABC’s telecast of Georgia-Texas on Oct. 19, which drew 13.1 million viewers.
ABC was helped by Michigan’s down season. The Wolverines’ yearly battle against Ohio State is usually the most-viewed game of the season, but this year’s edition of The Game was the least-watched in seven years.
2. You don’t have to watch all two minutes of Dan Campbell’s postgame speech to the Lions after they defeated the Packers on Thursday night, but you must watch the first 40 seconds to see Campbell call out a player who was having a rough moment.
This is where we thrive pic.twitter.com/XLhbPlf9Xi
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 6, 2024
3. The Packers and Lions gave us a classic, with the game going down to the final play. But all I kept thinking about was how, with security what it is these days, did a fan get a cheese grater into the game?
This fan came prepared 😂 pic.twitter.com/x5ZEzV7oo3
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) December 6, 2024
The great Ian Eagle and Ross Tucker, calling the game nationally on Westwood One Radio, were in complete disbelief over the cheese-grating fan.
Ever think you'd hear play-by-play of a fan grating cheese?
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) December 6, 2024
This one even surprised us. 🧀
Thank you Ian Eagle & @RossTuckerNFL 🤣 pic.twitter.com/y1l746JrZZ
4. This was really good by Greg Olsen on analytics in the NFL.
Great conversation w/ @NFLonFOXPod sharing my views on the world of “analytics”
— Greg Olsen (@gregolsen88) December 5, 2024
This way of thinking is here to stay
pic.twitter.com/uiJKd6HRfR
5. The very funny Billy Eichner told a highly amusing story on Thursday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live about meeting Travis Kelce, who is apparently a fan of Eichner’s, at a party earlier this year.
6. A brand new SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast dropped Thursday morning, which features a conversation with The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis.
Topics covered with Curtis include why something feels off about the Inside the NBA–ESPN deal; Stephen A. Smith reportedly getting a new six-year, $120 million contract from ESPN; how Tom Brady has progressed, whether the coverage of him has been fair and what we want to see more of from Brady. Curtis also reveals which two networks he thinks do the best job with their NFL game coverage.
Following Curtis, Sal Licata, from WFAN radio and SNY TV, joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week, we discuss a Bills-Lions Super Bowl vs. a Chiefs-Lions Super Bowl, an NFL Sunday disaster for a family member, the new season of HBO’s Hard Knocks and much more.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Sports Illustrated‘s YouTube channel.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: I love this news.
BREAKING: Jesse Ventura makes his return to the broadcast announce table for Saturday Night's Main Event on Dec. 14, LIVE at 8/7c on @nbc, as first revealed on The @BillSimmons Podcast! pic.twitter.com/2SiqHvISwl
— WWE (@WWE) December 6, 2024
So let’s give you a little vinatage Jesse “The Body” Ventura today.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as ABC/ESPN Decision to Add SEC Football Pays Off in Big Way.
