TV ratings dip for CFP championship on ESPN; streaming up

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ESPN says the College Football Championship rematch between Clemson and Alabama drew 680,000 fewer viewers on TV and online than last year's

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ESPN says the College Football Championship rematch between Clemson and Alabama drew 680,000 fewer viewers on TV and online than last year's game, though combined viewership for all the New Year's Six bowls and title game was up 15 percent.

Clemson's 35-31 victory against Alabama on Monday night got a 14.7 overnight rating for ESPN and a 15.3 rating for ESPN's MegaCast, which combines viewers for ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU. Last year's title game, won 45-40 by Alabama, drew a 15.8 overnight rating for ESPN and a 16.0 for the MegaCast.

The online streaming audience for Tigers-Tide II was up 21 percent, with an average audience of 710,000 viewers.

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ESPN says that overall, last year's game drew 26,709,000 viewers, and this year's got 26,029,000.

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