TV Ratings Explode For Jameis Winston; Rival Lightning In Stanley Cup
August 17th, 2015
The debut of Jameis Winston, America’s Quarterback, was quite an event across the Tampa Bay area Saturday, and the TV-ratings numbers match up to the hope-driven euphoria not seen around here in a decade.
Joe’s got data.
Initial Nielsen overnight ratings saw the Bucs-Vikings preseason game on WFLA-TV, Ch. 8, peak at 16.1 with a 26 share. (The “share” is the percentage of TVs on that were tuned to the game.) The total broadcast rating was 12.8 (22 share).
For perspective, Game 1 of the Lightning in the Stanley Cup drew a 17.9 local rating in June, a record for a Lightning game. Game 2 drew the second-highest ever rating locally at 15.1.
Greg Schiano’s 2013 Buccaneers averaged a 19.1 local rating per game. Last year, the Bucs averaged 17.2.
Preseason ratings typically fall far below regular-season games. So this bodes well for the Bucs’ popularity, which will nosedive if the team can’t find a way to win games.
August 17th, 2015 at 8:09 am
I think for the first time since Chucky, there is hope! Like Luke Skywalker type hope. Along with Marpet, who looks like he is going to be a beast, Kwon, who looks like a monster, we have HOPE!
August 17th, 2015 at 8:18 am
I was surprised to read some of the local sports scribes rate Marpet play Sat so low. To my untrained eye he looked alright for his 1st game.
August 17th, 2015 at 8:49 am
The high ratings are not too surprising since it was the first chance to see Winston in game action for the Bucs. There has been a ton of excitement over having the 1st pick and using it on not only a QB but a QB from FSU which has a large fan base locally. Winston played about how I expected considering he usually starts slow and the OL is shaky at best. Marpet was pretty solid from what I can tell. I actually think he will have a better career than Donovan Smith. I like Smith and he is a huge man but his feet move like he is wearing cinder blocks for shoes. I am extremely disappointed again in the defense from the first impressions but in their defense, that was the Vikings second game and they are most likely going to be a much better team than the Bucs this season. I expect us to look a lot better in the 3rd game against the Browns who are more on our talent level. As suspect as our OL is and especially with the lack of depth, the DL is going to be more of an issue with the exception of run defense which I think will be pretty solid but the lack of a pass rush will entice opposing QB’s to carve up our secondary which is not a bad secondary but you can only cover for so long until NFL receivers and TE’s find a way to get open. No pass rush will be our biggest deficiency again. Shame on L&L for not doing whatever it took to get a couple of pass rushing DE’s and I am not sold on Frazier as a defensive coordinator either. I think the OL will be slightly better than what we saw last season as long as Gilkey never plays center again unless it is for a semi-pro team where he belongs.
August 17th, 2015 at 8:53 am
Nice to hear the sky is not falling, a pole shift maybe.
August 17th, 2015 at 9:17 am
Let’s keep it real. Jw sucked big time
August 17th, 2015 at 9:36 am
For those that don’t know….a Rating is a % of all households (demographic) whether tuned in or not….and the Share is the percentage of households tuned in.
In this day & and age…..a mid-teen rating on anything in particular on a Sat night & in the summer is pretty good.
August 17th, 2015 at 9:48 am
NOw, can we see a defense on the field? I like the turnovers we caused, but we need to slow down opposing teams’ drives. If we can’t stop them from getting into the red zone, it is going to be a long season.
August 17th, 2015 at 9:52 am
It’s hard to take these cowards with new scene names seriously. If we were really keeping it real you would say you still have your feelings hurt because the Bucs didn’t draft your guy. Your just too immature to get on board with Jameis and give the man a chance.
August 17th, 2015 at 9:56 am
sucked that so many people watched winston run for his life. offensive line is still the weak link by far and now you can clearly see adding rookies to an already horrible offensive line isnt an answer short term. i feel sorry for winston he’s going to go the blake bortles route and lead the league is sacks lol. clueless if gilkey is still ahead of anyone on your depth chart
August 17th, 2015 at 10:02 am
There is hope every year in the preseason, recall the “winners of the offseason” many crowned the Bucs last year?
But this year you have a star QB at a level the Bucs have not seen in it’s modern age. Stars bring viewers.
August 17th, 2015 at 10:06 am
Still not “America’s qb”. Never will be Joe
August 17th, 2015 at 10:11 am
I laughe so hard I spilled my martini when jw got blindsided
R9
August 17th, 2015 at 10:19 am
Most of those are probably curious fringe fans. They won’t know it takes time to develop a QB, so the ratings will drop.
They also seem to think presason losses matter.
August 17th, 2015 at 11:26 am
Wow just wow!!! I was a Mariota supporter who is now proudly aboard the Fameis bandwagon. I understood some of the vitriol and hatred that was flying during the pre draft debate that took place.
I can also accept that some people here still believe Mariota will turn out better.
What I cannot understand are Maroons like lol jw who still comes here to simply hate on Jameis. It really is irrational.
From an “opinion” perspective Let’s keep it real. Jw sucked big time
is hardly keeping it real since that is NOT the CONSENSUS opinion of the EXPERTS following the game.
We could allow that you simply have the firm conviction that you are right and the vast majority of everybody else is mistaken except for this SICK statement.
I laughe so hard I spilled my martini when jw got blindsided
If posters think about what that last statement means? Rooting for a player to get phyically harmed because he wasn’t your choice? Really?
I don’t have snark for something like that. It’s just sad. Get help dude.
August 17th, 2015 at 11:31 am
Joe’s
OK guys you get SCOREBOARD! You were absolutely correct about Fameis in at least three separate areas, probably more.
First you’ve been correct on his leadership and QB skills. You’ve also been correct that he’s a rookie and will need some time.
You were correct about the reaction to the Bucs drafting him. No protests, big ratings, improved tickets sales.
And lastly you were correct about the need for a franchise QB in general. I’ve always believed that QB is the most important position and therefore the most important player, but I don’t think I realized just how dramatic the difference is.
And it is the fact that we have a “possible franchise QB” that has Buc’s community reengaged.
August 17th, 2015 at 11:45 am
From us out of state Bucs fan perspective, this past broadcast really sucked as the feed for both halfs was from the Vikings broadcast. Last year they split the feeds, one half from the visiting team, other half from the home team.
Those guys hardly ever said a word about the Bucs players and they kept doing meaningless (and annoying) sideline interviews WHILE THE GAME WAS IN PROGRESS!
Hey NFL Channel, you know there are fans of both teams watching your broadcasts, so either split the broadcast by half like you used to or get a second channel so you can do both broadcasts simultaneously, you sure are getting enough of our monies with the price of the DirecTV NFL package to do it!
August 17th, 2015 at 11:49 am
If bucs could just be a 500 type team with wins/losses I think the fans will be there. This is a good football town and media market. But when you fire a Super Bowl coach and replace him with a no experienced idiot then you proceed to have 5 straight losing seasons your not going to get sell outs every game. We should support bucs no matter what but damn Glazers what are you giving the fans lately. Why blame fans.
August 17th, 2015 at 12:23 pm
CalBucs
YES! I’m now a snowbird and have a couple months left in Michigan. I have Direct Satellite and the NFL ticket just so I won’t miss any Buc’s games.
But that NFL Net feed was just awful. And like you I grew quickly disgusted when we were actually fed “human interest” stories about Viking players during the action.
That broadcast team just sucked. I had more pride doing a high school game to make sure I knew the players from both teams. These guys should know that they are being picked up for a national feed. It was the worst broadcast I’ve ever seen of a an NFL game…pre season or not.
August 17th, 2015 at 2:05 pm
@CalBUcs
I’m out here in Cali too, and than Minn broadcast was just terrible! They were not even correctly identifying our players by name while they were in the game, and after the first quarter, they were basically talking over the plays every time the Bucs had the ball. One of the worst broadcasts I have ever watched for an nfl game.
August 17th, 2015 at 2:17 pm
Lol jw Says:
August 17th, 2015 at 9:17 am
Let’s keep it real. Jw sucked big time
Your definition of sucks sucks!