Heartbreaking loss vs Clemson, Cal Football turns in a respectable 1.29M on Friday. That brings the year to 2.379M, and an average of 1.1895M for measured broadcasts. This week Cal was 11th in TV Viewership.
Much has been said about the 11% decline in TV Viewership YoY. While the average is down, I think that's just a result of more inventory coming in to USA/TNT/CW etc, as overall volume is marginally down YoY (.3%).
2025 Friday ESPN After Dark was around 1.42M on 3 games, Saturday ESPN After Dark was 1.2M on 12 games. 2026 Saturday ESPN After Dark is currently averaging 865k, with NDSU vs Sac State dragging down the average and median.
What might really matter and the thing Cal has going for it is geography - how is Cal doing compared to the After Dark window. Our ~1.19M avg viewership right above the average and median after dark windows on ESPN and FOX so far this year (1.088M and 1.09M respectively). When you had in the additional After Dark inventory from FS1, BTN, USA, TNT, those numbers plummet to around 526k avg and 330k median.
Interestingly Cal's 1.19M avg viewership right now puts us right at the median viewership for the Top 25 broadcasts each week, further suggesting the added long tail inventory is dragging down the average YoY.