BYU-Navy Produces Low TV Rating Compared To Previous Labor Day Games

PROVO, Utah – Labor Day night has become one of the most-viewed nights in the sport of college football. But not in 2020. Is any tradition safe in this pandemic-ravaged year?

BYU’s 55-3 rout of Navy garnered low television ratings on Monday compared to previous Labor Day night games televised on the World Wide Leader.

The blowout victory over Navy’s ill-prepared squad pulled down 1.145 million viewers. Since 2010, that is by far the lowest rating for a Labor Day college football game on ESPN. The previous low dating back to 2010 was Louisville’s debut game as a member of the ACC against Miami in 2014.

FINAL STATS 📊 pic.twitter.com/9omFdHprnm

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) September 8, 2020

So why were people not tuning in to watch college football’s biggest non-conference matchup?

The promotions for BYU-Navy from ESPN were everywhere on the World Wide Leader leading up to kickoff. You couldn’t look away without seeing a reminder of BYU-Navy being the College Football Primetime game in week one. ESPN even aired classic BYU and Navy games leading up to kickoff on ESPNU.

It didn’t matter as BYU-Navy wasn’t the most-viewed college football game in an underwhelming week one slate. That distinction went to SMU and Texas State who pulled in 1.228 million viewers in a tightly contested game that saw the Mustangs edge out 2020 BYU opponent Bobcats by a score of 31-24.

FINAL: @BYUfootball 55, @NavyFB 3#BYU starting out the 2020 season with a bang.#BYUvsNAVY #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/o6LQoyrvMb

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 8, 2020

NBA Playoffs would be an easy answer as to why BYU’s impressive performance turned out to be a dud for viewers. Usually, the start of a college football season faces zero competition on the sports calendar other than regular season baseball. But the COVID-19 pandemic has created new normals in 2020 and critical conference semifinal matchups pulled down the biggest audiences on Labor Day night.

A 52-point blowout doesn’t help matters either to try and pull in people who are just looking to watch “a good game”. Also doesn’t help to have an entire quarter dedicated to a phone call with Bill Bellichick, but I digress.

Whatever the reason, the rating was far less than its Labor Day night peers of the past. See for yourself the ratings for Labor Day night games on ESPN dating back to 2010.

ESPN Labor Day College Football TV Ratings since 2010

2010: Boise State 33, Virginia Tech 30 – 9.88 million (No. 1 Labor Day game for Overnight Rating with a 6.7)

2011: Maryland 32, Miami 24 – 4.39 million

2012: Virginia Tech 20, Georgia Tech 17 – 4.3 million

2013: Florida State 41, Pitt 13 – 4.5 million

2014: Louisville 31, Miami 13 – 3.6 million

2015: Ohio State 42, Virginia Tech 24 – 10.6 million

2016: Florida State 45, Ole Miss 34 – 8.35 million

2017: Tennessee 42, Georgia Tech 41 – 5.134 million

2018: Virginia Tech 24, Florida State 3 – 5.57 million

2019: Notre Dame 35, Louisville 17 – 5.60 million

2020: BYU 55, Navy 3 – 1.145 million

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.