Rate Bowl drew 4.4 million viewers on the day after Christmas; that's the Phoenix bowl game's best number since 2011.

[BleedGopher]

Go Gophers!!

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Bowl viewership was up this year overall.

Guess we need more bowl games!

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

bUt ThErE aRe ToO mAnY bOwLs

 

[cemba99]

Rate Bowl benefitted in that no other college or NFL football games occurred during their time slot (it was mentioned in the broadcast). I'm guessing most working people took Friday off and were done with the presents/big holiday meals - just looking for something to watch

 

[Tech Machine]

It’s because the Gophers were playing.

 

[GopherVotary]

Rate Bowl benefitted in that no other college or NFL football games occurred during their time slot (it was mentioned in the broadcast).

It’s almost like it was scheduled that way on purpose.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Rate Bowl benefitted in that no other college or NFL football games occurred during their time slot (it was mentioned in the broadcast). I'm guessing most working people took Friday off and were done with the presents/big holiday meals - just looking for something to watch

Isn’t this always the case with the Rate Bowl?

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I wish I could have gone but man the 26th is just one of the worst bowl schedule dates.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

The entire state of New Mexico was tuned in..

 

[disco]

I wish I could have gone but man the 26th is just one of the worst bowl schedule dates.

Yeah, at least the game in Detroit is an easy fly in and out same day for a day game on the 26th.

 

[highwayman]

I guess it's just impossible for a lot of Gopher "fans" to believe enough to be...fans.

 

[Married@SiebertField]

We are eye candy.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

The entire state of New Mexico was tuned in..

I wonder where the other 2.3 million viewers came from?

 

[beatles]

Friday game time during happy hour, every bar in America has ESPN on. It was good exposure.

 

[SomeGopherFan]

Isn’t this always the case with the Rate Bowl?

Last year was the first at its new time slot. Previously since returning to ESPN family in 2010, it was a night game with mostly 9pm Central 'scheduled' start times, but three years were at 8pm Central.

 

[RememberMurray]

Pretty good for a game I've been told (on good authority) was 'meaningless'.

 

[Goldmember]

So, nearly the exact same number of viewers saw Minnesota vs. New Mexico in the Rate Bowl as saw Oregon vs. JMU in the first round of the college Football Playoff.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

So, nearly the exact same number of viewers saw Minnesota vs. New Mexico in the Rate Bowl as saw Oregon vs. JMU in the first round of the college Football Playoff.

We weren't up against Packers v Bears on network tv

 

[Goldmember]

We weren't up against Packers v Bears on network tv

The fact remains the same.