ODU’s win was a major draw on TV
NORFOLK — The family-and-friends-only gathering at Norfolk State on Wednesday might have felt somewhatisolatedatmostly empty Echols Hall.
The tiny crowd was far from alone.
Old Dominion’s historic 80-66 win over the Spartans drew a 1.5 Nielsen share of Hampton Roads’ TV audience on WGNT, making it the highest-rated college basketball game in the region this season.
Combined with 17,000 viewersstreamingthegame at WTKR.com, the website of WGNT’s sister station, more than 50,000 people might have watched ODU’s first visit to the crosstown campus since the 1968-69 season.
The game’s ratings surpassed those of recent contestsbetweenNo.6Duke and No. 8 Michigan State (1.2 on ESPN), No. 7 Kansas and No. 20 Kentucky (1.0 on ESPN) and No. 1 Gonzaga andAuburn(0.6onWVBT).
“It exceeded expectations,”WTKR/WGNTpresident and general manager StephenHayes said.“Ithink it reinforces the interest in local college basketball and the rivalry. And both teams have a pretty good product right now.”
ODU(2-1)startedfastand finished strong to pull away and take a 14-6 lead in the series, which was renewed for the first time in three years. The teams will meet again in 2022-23 as part of a home-and-home agreement.
The game, as many aroundthenationhavebeen during the pandemic, was hastily scheduled, making the TV ratings all the more surprising.
“I have to credit the management and crew at WTKRandWGNTfortheir commitment to coverage of local sports,” said veteran play-by-play man Patrick Johnson, who called the game on TV with analyst Brian Mull. “That is just not something that happens in today’s homogenized marketplaceforgamecoverage. This just shows that there is an audience for local sports coverage done right.”
Hayescreditedofficialsat NSU and ODU for collaboratingtomakethebroadcast happen on short notice.
“I think we did a good job, and ODU and Norfolk State, of just promoting ahead of time where we can see the game because the fan base is kind of built in,” Hayes said. “In this day and age, it’s making people aware of where they can see it and that it was available for everybody.”
The capacity Wednesday in Echols Hall was limited to 250 by state COVID-19 restrictions, but significantly more saw the historic game.