The first SEC Championship under the ESPN and ABC umbrella saw huge viewership numbers, according to latest reports.
The Georgia Bulldogs claimed victory in an overtime classic by a score of 22-19 over the Texas Longhorns in the Longhorns’ first season in the SEC. According to ESPN, the game peaked at 16.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched game of 2024:
ABC scored its most-watched Conference Champ slate since '14 (8.4M avg. viewers)
🏆 @SEC Champ (16.6M): most-watched game of '24 & 3rd-best reg. season game on record for ESPN platforms
🏆 @ESPNCFB Field Pass: most-viewed CFB alt. cast ever
🏆 #Big12FB (6.9M) & #ACCFCG (6.0M) pic.twitter.com/tEKyE3po3Y— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) December 10, 2024
That figure also represents the third-highest non-playoff or bowl game for ESPN in its history. It was also the fourth-most watched SEC Championship in history after last year’s game between Georgia and Alabama set records.
Interestingly, the ‘field pass’ broadcast averaged 1.4 million viewers, which was the biggest audience for an alternate broadcast in a college football game ever.
The viewership for the game peaked at 19.7 million viewers which was more than the other two ESPN conference championship broadcast – the Big 12 and the ACC – combined.
Clearly, it just means more in the SEC and new postseason rules as well as a new television contract have not seen the conference championship be any less viewed than before.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
