Florida State’s season-opening win over New Mexico State did more than put the Seminoles at 1-0, it also delivered a record audience for The CW.
The Week 0 matchup averaged 1.96 million viewers in primetime, making it the most-watched sports broadcast in The CW’s history, according to Nielsen Panel + Big Data figures released by Nexstar Media Group on Wednesday.
Viewership peaked at 2.4 million between 9:15 and 9:30 p.m. ET as Florida State pulled away for a 34-17 victory at Doak Campbell Stadium. The broadcast also drew 718,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demographic, another network record for a sports event.
The game’s performance extended beyond The CW’s own benchmarks. According to Nexstar, Florida State-New Mexico State was the second-strongest
primetime broadcast of the night among Adults 25-54, outperforming every primetime program on ABC, CBS and NBC in that demographic.
That is a notable result for a matchup that did not feature two ranked opponents or carry major College Football Playoff implications entering the night. Instead, Florida State’s return to the field after consecutive losing seasons proved capable of drawing a sizable national audience.
The Seminoles gave viewers a competitive game for much of the evening. FSU led 17-7 at halftime and held only a 10-point advantage late in the fourth quarter before Ousmane Kromah’s touchdown helped produce the 17-point final margin.
The record audience also represents another significant moment in The CW’s growing college football portfolio. The network broadcasts games from the ACC, Pac-12 and Mountain West as part of a sports lineup that now accounts for nearly 700 hours of programming annually.
For Florida State, the season opener ultimately produced two victories: one in the standings and another at the television ratings window.
The Seminoles will return to Doak Campbell Stadium on Monday for a higher-profile matchup against the No. 19 SMU Mustangs, giving FSU another opportunity to draw national attention as the competition and stakes increase. The game is set to start at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be on ESPN.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU season-opening win sets CW viewership record
