You might not be too surprised that Louisville watches more college basketball than any other American market. But you will probably be surprised by just how big the chasm is between Louisville and everyone else.
According to ESPN, here are the highest average ratings for all ESPN college basketball telecasts during the 2016-17 season:
Rank | Market | Rating |
1. | Louisville | 5.5 |
2. | Raleigh-Durham | 2.4 |
3. | Kansas City | 2.3 |
4. | Indianapolis | 2.1 |
5. | Greensboro-High Point | 2.0 |
6. | Cincinnati | 1.8 |
7. | Nashville | 1.6 |
Greenville | 1.6 | |
9. | Knoxville | 1.5 |
Charlotte | 1.5 |
Yes, games rated more than twice as well in Louisville as in Raleigh-Durham, home to Duke and North Carolina, the supposed center of college basketball.
Louisville has now finished atop this list for 15 straight years, every year ESPN has tracked the metric. It’s 5.5 average rating was up 12 percent from last year, though some fluctuation could just have to do with how many Louisville and Kentucky games ESPN carries.
We know Kentucky residents love their college basketball, but North Carolinians and Kansans also love their college basketball. Just not as much, apparently.