Auburn vs. Alabama did huge viewership numbers for ESPN

Alabama Crimson Tide center Clifford Omoruyi vs. Auburn Tigers guard Denver Jones. Will McLelland-Imagn Images

Auburn vs. Alabama basketball game did huge viewership numbers for ESPN

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Feb 19, 2025 7:44 PM ET

The game didn't necessarily live up to the hype, but No. 1 Auburn versus No. 2 Alabama was without a doubt a big matchup over this past weekend.

Auburn ended up beating Alabama rather handily, 94-85, and at one point, the Tigers had a 14-point lead.

Being that it was somewhat of a blowout, one would think that some casual viewers tuned out once it was clear that Auburn was the far better team. Ultimately, though, ESPN is reporting that the Tigers vs. Crimson Tide was awesome for its ratings.

ESPN announced that the game was the most viewed contest of this college basketball season on the four-letter network. It was also the second-highest-viewed game of the season across all networks.

Last Saturday's showdown between No. 1 @AuburnMBB-No. 2 @AlabamaMBB was ESPN’s most-watched #NCAAMBB game of the season!

2.8M viewers
Peak: 3.5M viewers
2nd most-watched game of the season across all networks pic.twitter.com/jKs8xsSCtF
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) February 19, 2025

To put these viewership numbers in perspective, On3 points out that ESPN's previous viewership record came when Clemson beat Duke on Feb. 8, and that game featured the on-air return of legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale after he was off air for nearly two years.

At 23-2, the Bruce Pearl's Tigers are the undisputed best team in college basketball right now, and they're certainly worth tuning in to watch.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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