Big 12 Basketball TV Viewership Climbs After Adding Four Newcomers
Mar 13, 2024, 1:11 AM | Updated: 8:16 am
Big 12 Basketball jumped 8% in linear television viewership during the 2023-24 regular season. (Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – When you look at the metrics around Big 12 Basketball, the league is at the top of college hoops.
Another stat that shows growth is their television viewership on linear television.
Big 12 Basketball TV viewership on linear networks jumped 8%
According to Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark, during the 2023-24 season, the first with newcomers BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston, Big 12 men’s basketball ratings have increased by 8% on linear networks.
“[The] only Power Four conference to show an increase year over year,” Yormark said.
Big 12 Women’s Basketball reportedly saw a massive increase in linear viewership.
Brett Yormark said linear television viewership in Men's Basketball in the Big 12 is up 8% from last season. #Big12Hoops
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 13, 2024
The Big 12 reports that its women’s basketball audiences on linear television grew 111% during the 2023-24 season compared to last year.
Those are numbers that the Big 12’s television partners, ESPN and FOX, have to like moving forward into the league’s 16-team era, with Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah joining next August.
#Big12WBB linear viewership is up 111% from last season! 🏀📺 https://t.co/cVncMaO8RE
— Justin Nusser (@jnusser12) March 8, 2024
Big 12 basketball currently airs on ESPN networks and network CBS. Those ESPN channels include ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU.
The linear television ratings do not include viewership for games televised on streaming service ESPN+.
Many Big 12 games air on the subscription-based service on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
The Big 12 has a new media rights contract with ESPN and FOX that begins in 2025 and runs through 2031.
Brett Yormark said ESPN will be the primary television partner for conference tournaments in the league’s next media contract.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
