Football is king in the world of modern college athletics, where even the best of men’s basketball programs (hello, Kansas) fail to move the needle when it comes to conference realignment.
What matters most is the strength of a school’s football brand. For Colorado and Colorado State, the numbers are both good (Denver metro TV market) and bad (few bowls, even fewer years in the rankings). Here’s a look at the numbers since 2012 (excluding 2020 pandemic season):
CU Buffs
Bowl appearances: 1
Years in final AP Top 25: 1
Average home attendance: 44,059 (10th in Pac-12)
Denver television market: 1,798,440 homes (16th largest nationally)
Regular season games on network television: 10 (57 on Pac-12 Net)
Games with at least 2 million TV viewers: 11*
Average regular-season TV ratings (network/cable): 1.292 million (2.672 million/797,125)*
Highest rated game: 5.671 million (vs. Washington, Dec. 12, 2016, FOX)*
Highest rated regular-season game: 4.502 million (vs. Texas A&M, Sept. 11, 2021, FOX)*
Synopsis: The Buffs’ slow start in the Pac-12 hurt them in two ways: 1. Without any high-stakes games or upsets, they were unable to establish any rivalries or identity, and 2. They couldn’t get off the Pac-12 Network to save their lives. Between 2012-15, CU appeared on the oft-unavailable network in 27 of 48 games.
CU’s average rating for regular-season games trails both of the Pac-12 schools the Big Ten just poached — USC (2.544 million) and UCLA (1.821 million) — by a wide margin. Although, CU’s numbers have jumped since 2016 — a five-season period that saw the Buffs average 1.756 million viewers per qualifying regular-season game.
The Buffs’ ability to draw audiences of 2 million or more also pales in comparison to bluebloods Texas (56 games) and Oklahoma (78), recently scooped up by the SEC, in addition to USC (49) and UCLA (34). While it might be asking too much to match those programs, the Buffs at least have to approach them in order to be considered an attractive expansion candidate for the Big Ten or the SEC.
One reason for hope: Colorado is located near a top 20 media market, meaning there is potential for growth.
CSU Rams
Bowl appearances: 5
Years in final AP Top 25: 0
Average home attendance: 25,231 (6th out of 12 in MWC)
Denver television market: 1,798,440 homes (16th largest nationally)
Regular season games on network television: 0 (2014 Las Vegas Bowl was on ABC)
Games with at least 2 million TV viewers: 3*
Average regular-season TV ratings: 886,133*
Highest rated postseason game: 2.77 million (vs. Washington St., Dec. 21, 2013, ESPN)*
Highest rated regular-season game: 2.78 million (vs. Alabama, Sept. 21, 2013, ESPN2)*
Synopsis: With the Rams unable to consistently put themselves in the Mountain West title chase, they’ve found it difficult to get off CSB Sports Network and onto more visible cable networks like FS1, ESPN and ESPN2.
The Rams’ average TV rating is actually ahead of potential Pac-12 addition San Diego State (657,071), but trails each of the four programs about to make the jump to the Big 12 — Cincinnati (1.485 million), BYU (1.438 million), Central Florida (1.237 million) and Houston (1.094 million).
CSU is connected to a sports-mad, and large, Denver market that could hop on the bandwagon if the Rams were ever able to get untracked. And in glistening Canvas Stadium, they have the facilities to match any of their peers.
Of course, all of it boils down to one thing for CSU: Zero AP Top 25 finishes since 2012.
The recipe for jumping into the Power 5 is well established: Win lots of games, knock off a few giants, and become a regular in the Top 25. It worked for Utah (Mountain West to Pac-12), TCU (Mountain West to Big 12). Louisville (American to ACC) and the four soon-to-be Big 12 members listed above. It could work for the Rams, too.
* Television ratings taken from SportsMediaWatch.com, and only include games on network TV, ESPN, ESPN2 and FS1. No games from the 2020 pandemic season were included.
