Ten-Year Analysis: Louisville Highest-Rated all 10 Years; Greensboro Only Market to Finish Second Highest-Rated Multiple Times As fans prepare for the adventure of another college basketball season, ESPN examined the ratings for its men’s game telecasts in the 56 metered markets from the 2002-03 season through 2011-12. The results show the Top 25 markets from 2011-12, how the markets compare to this year’s Top 25 teams and overall trends from the past 10 seasons.
Highlights:
- One leads the way: Louisville was the top market every year, averaging a 4.1 rating or higher the past five seasons, including a 5.3 in 2009-10.
- Six in Second: Six of the 56 markets have finished a season in the second highest-rated spot:
- Greensboro is the only market to make multiple second place appearances: 2011, 2008, 2006, 2005, and 2002-03.
- The additional five markets: Columbus (2010-11), Kansas City (2009-10), Indianapolis (2007-08), Raleigh-Durham (2004-05) and Cincinnati (2003-04)
- Top Five Markets: Eleven markets have been in the top five highest-rated at least once from 2002-03 to 2011-12: Charlotte, Cincinnati, Columbus, Greensboro, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville, Louisville, Memphis, Oklahoma City and Raleigh-Durham.
- Louisville is the only market to go 10 for 10.
- Greensboro finished as a top five market every season but one when it was sixth in 2004-05.
- Kansas City is on a streak, finishing in the top three the past three years after not finishing in the top five the previous seven seasons.
- Columbus was in the top five in five of the 10 years, including the last four seasons straight.
- Raleigh-Durham was back in the top five last year after finishing seventh in 2010-11 and 2009-10. The North Carolina market was in the top five every other year but 2006-07 when it was eighth.
- Charlotte (in 2008-09) and Oklahoma City (in 2004-05) were the only two markets to finish in the top five once. Oklahoma City hasn’t been among the top 10 metered markets since peaking at third in the 2004-05 season.
- Top 10 Markets: Louisville, Greensboro, Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte are the only markets to be among the top 10 every year since 2002-03. Other markets have impressive streaks as well:
- Knoxville has finished in the top 10 every year since 2003-04.
- Kansas City was a top 10 market in eight of the past 10 years (except in 2008-09 and 2004-05)
- Indianapolis was a top market in seven of the 10 years (except 2010-11, 2004-05 and 2003-04)
| Top 25 Markets for 2011-12 |
| No. 1 Louisville: 4.5 rating |
| No. 2 Greensboro: 3.5 rating |
| No. 3 Kansas City: 2.8 rating |
| No. 4 Columbus: 2.7 rating |
| Raleigh-Durham 2.7 rating |
| No. 6 Charlotte: 2.3 rating |
| No. 7 Cincinnati: 2.1 rating |
| No. 8 Dayton: 2.0 rating |
| No. 9 Indianapolis: 1.8 rating |
| Knoxville: 1.8 rating |
| No. 11 Memphis: 1.6 rating |
| Nashville: 1.6 rating |
| No. 13 Greenville: 1.5 rating |
| No. 14 Cleveland: 1.4 rating |
| Birmingham: 1.4 rating |
| Las Vegas: 1.4 rating |
| No. 17 Norfolk: 1.2 rating |
| Hartford: 1.2 rating |
| St. Louis: 1.2 rating |
| No. 20 Fort Myers: 1.1 rating |
| Atlanta: 1.1 rating |
| Richmond: 1.1 rating |
| No. 23 Pittsburgh: 1.0 rating |
| Detroit: 1.0 rating |
| Oklahoma City: 1.0 rating |
| Jacksonville: 1.0 rating |
| Tulsa: 1.0 rating |
Top 25 Teams & Markets
Indiana took the top spot of the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll over Louisville and Kentucky, but its home market of Indianapolis was eight spots behind in the highest-rated local markets. Below is a look at the Top 25 and the correlating metered markets for each team. (Note: Some teams reach multiple markets while others are not located in a metered market. All markets are closest to the school’s hometown):
| 2012-13 Preseason Top 25 | 2011-12 Final Metered Market Rankings (Correlating Markets) |
| No. 1 Indiana | No. 9 Indianapolis (1.8 rating) |
| No. 2 Louisville | No. 1 Louisville (4.5 rating) |
| No. 3 Kentucky | No. 1 Louisville (4.5 rating) |
| No. 4 Ohio State | No. 4 Columbus (2.7 rating); No. 8 Dayton (2.0 rating) & No. 14 Cleveland (1.4 rating) |
| No. 5 Michigan | No. 23 Detroit (tied with 1.0 rating) |
| No. 6 NC State | No. 4 Raleigh-Durham (tied with 2.7 rating) |
| No. 7 Kansas | No. 3 Kansas City (2.8 rating) |
| No. 8 Duke | No. 2 Greensboro (3.5 rating) No. 4 Raleigh-Durham (tied with 2.7 rating), No. 6 Charlotte (2.3 rating) & No. 13 Greenville (1.5 rating) |
| No. 9 Syracuse | No metered markets |
| No. 10 Florida | No. 23 Jacksonville (tied with 1.0 rating), No. 31 Orlando (tied with 0.8 rating), No. 36 Tampa/St. Petersburg (tied with 0.7 rating) & No. 36 West Palm Beach (tied with 0.7 rating) |
| No. 11 North Carolina | No. 2 Greensboro (3.5 rating) No. 4 Raleigh-Durham (tied with 2.7 rating), No. 6 Charlotte (2.3 rating) & No. 13 Greenville (1.5 rating) |
| No. 12 Arizona | No. 47 Phoenix (tied with 0.5 rating) |
| No. 13 UCLA | No. 53 Los Angeles (tied with 0.4 rating) |
| No. 14 Michigan State | No. 23 Detroit (tied with 1.0 rating) |
| No. 15 Missouri | No. 3 Kansas City (2.8 rating) & No. 17 St. Louis (tied with 1.2 rating) |
| No. 16 Creighton | No metered markets |
| No. 17 Memphis | No. 11 Memphis (tied with 1.6 rating) |
| No. 18 UNLV | No. 14 Las Vegas (tied with 1.4 rating) |
| No. 19 Baylor | No. 41 Houston (tied with 0.6 rating) & No. 47 Dallas/Fort Worth (tied with 0.5 rating) |
| No. 20 San Diego State | No. 41 San Diego (tied with 0.6 rating) |
| No. 21 Gonzaga | No metered markets |
| No. 22 Notre Dame | No. 36 Chicago (tied with 0.7 rating) |
| No. 23 Wisconsin | No. 31 Milwaukee (tied with 0.8 rating) |
| No. 24 Cincinnati | No. 7 Cincinnati (2.1 rating) |
| No. 25 Florida State | No. 23 Jacksonville (tied with 1.0 rating), No. 31 Orlando (tied with 0.8 rating), No. 36 Tampa/St. Petersburg (tied with 0.7 rating) & No. 36 West Palm Beach (tied with 0.7 rating) |
| 2011-12 Final Top 25 | 2011-12 Final Metered Market Rankings (Correlating Markets) |
| No. 1 Kentucky | No. 1 Louisville (4.5 rating) |
| No. 2 Syracuse | No metered markets |
| No. 3 Missouri | No. 3 Kansas City (2.8 rating) & No. 17 St. Louis (tied with 1.2 rating) |
| No. 4 North Carolina | No. 2 Greensboro (3.5 rating) No. 4 Raleigh-Durham (tied with 2.7 rating), No. 6 Charlotte (2.3 rating) & No. 13 Greenville (1.5 rating) |
| No. 5 Michigan State | No. 23 Detroit (tied with 1.0 rating) |
| No. 6 Kansas | No. 3 Kansas City (2.8 rating) |
| No. 7 Ohio State | No. 4 Columbus (2.7 rating); No. 8 Dayton (2.0 rating) & No. 14 Cleveland (1.4 rating) |
| No. 8 Duke | No. 2 Greensboro (3.5 rating) No. 4 Raleigh-Durham (tied with 2.7 rating), No. 6 Charlotte (2.3 rating) & No. 13 Greenville (1.5 rating) |
| No. 9 Baylor | No. 41 Houston (tied with 0.6 rating) & No. 47 Dallas/Fort Worth (tied with 0.5 rating) |
| No. 10 Florida State | No. 23 Jacksonville (tied with 1.0 rating), No. 31 Orlando (tied with 0.8 rating), No. 36 Tampa/St. Petersburg (tied with 0.7 rating) & No. 36 West Palm Beach (tied with 0.7 rating) |
| No. 11 Marquette | No. 31 Milwaukee (tied with 0.8 rating) |
| No. 12 Murray State | No metered markets |
| No. 13 Michigan | No. 23 Detroit (tied with 1.0 rating) |
| No. 14 Wisconsin | No. 31 Milwaukee (tied with 0.8 rating) |
| No. 15 Georgetown | No. 28 Washington D.C. (tied with 0.9 rating) |
| No. 16 Indiana | No. 9 Indianapolis (1.8 rating) |
| No. 17 Louisville | No. 1 Louisville (4.5 rating) |
| No. 18 Wichita State | No. 3 Kansas City (2.8 rating) |
| No. 19 Creighton | No metered markets |
| No. 20 Vanderbilt | No. 11 Nashville (tied with 1.6 rating) |
| No. 21 New Mexico | No. 41 Albuquerque (tied with 0.6 rating) |
| No. 22 San Diego State | No. 41 San Diego (tied with 0.6 rating) |
| No. 23 UNLV | No. 14 Las Vegas (tied with 1.4 rating) |
| No. 24 Saint Mary’s | No. 53 San Francisco (tied with 0.4 rating) |
| No. 25 Florida | No. 23 Jacksonville (tied with 1.0 rating), No. 31 Orlando (tied with 0.8 rating), No. 36 Tampa/St. Petersburg (tied with 0.7 rating) & No. 36 West Palm Beach (tied with 0.7 rating) |
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