Maybe it does mean more, as familiar city tops college football viewership

In 2025, Birmingham, Alabama, once again led the nation in college football viewership, continuing a longstanding trend. Historically, Birmingham has frequently topped viewership charts, as noted by ESPN in 2012 when it was the leading market for over a decade. This dominance is attributed in part to the lack of local professional sports teams, which is a commonality among the top viewership markets. These markets are largely located within the Southeastern Conference (SEC) footprint, with eight of the top ten markets falling into this category, except for Columbus and Dayton.

Alabama, the most watched college football team in 2025, led the viewership rankings with a significant margin. The SEC secured the top three positions and accounted for eight of the top ten most watched teams. Despite the SEC's absence from winning the College Football Playoff title for three consecutive years, viewership in Birmingham remains robust, underscoring the enduring popularity of college football in the region.