School is back in session. And for sports fans, that means the return of college sports! Businesses can get in on the action by turning their sports bar or restaurant into the ultimate game-day destination with affordable sports TV packages from DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS®. From game-winning touchdowns to soccer goals to buzzer beaters that make you jump out of your seat, make sure fans can watch it all with DIRECTV.
Want to learn more about DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS®? Check out our packages today!
Why Show College Sports At Your Bar or Restaurant?
Showing college sports at your business is a great way to cater to a large fan base while driving food and drink sales. According to a 2021 report by LEARFIELD, 182 million people in the U.S. have a favorite college team that they follow. College sports fans are also more affluent than other sports fans. According to the same report, college sports fans were 1.6 times more likely to have an income of over $100,000 when compared to the overall U.S. population, meaning more sales and revenue opportunities for your business.
College sports fans are also a passionate group of fans. The Sports Analytics Group at Berkeley took a look at why college football fans were more enthusiastic than pro football fans. They found that fans found that higher scoring games and increased passing yards made for more exciting games. Many alumni feel a deep connection and a sense of pride for their alma mater and look forward to the tailgating and traditions that come with college football. By showing college sports at your bar or restaurant, you can provide fans with a place where they can keep those traditions alive while you boost your food and drink sales.
College Sports Viewership By The Numbers
College sports are pulling in record-breaking viewership numbers. Take a look at some of the stats below:
- College football had a record-breaking viewership year in 2024, with ABC averaging 5.8 million viewers per game and ESPN reporting 1.9 million viewers per game.
- The SEC championship football game between Georgia and Texas was the most-watched game of the season with 16.6 million viewers.
- The 2024 Women’s NCAA® Women’s Volleyball Championship match between Penn State and Louisville-Pitt was the second-most-watched championship ever, with an average of 1.3 million viewers, and was also the third most-watched college volleyball match ever.
- The 2025 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship between Florida and Houston pulled in an average of 18.1 million viewers on CBS.
- The 2025 Women’s NCAA Basketball Championship between UConn and South Carolina averaged 8.5 million viewers on CBS.
What Are The Most Popular College Sports?
It’s probably no surprise that the most-watched college sport is football. But with DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS®, you can bring more of the college sports action to your customers. Check out the list of college sports fans want to watch.
- College football
- Men’s and women’s basketball
- Baseball
- Men’s and women’s soccer
- Volleyball
- Lacrosse
- Softball
Read our article about how DIRECTV can help you Serve Up Win After Win With NCAA Women’s Volleyball.
Keep College Sports Fans Cheering All Season Long With DIRECTV
From must-see football rivalry games to buzzer-beater basketball and everything in between, you can offer your customers a winning college sports experience with DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS®. Check out all the ways you can keep your customers tuned in this season and beyond:
ESPN+ for Business
With ESPN+ for Business you’ll score up to 250 live events a month which includes 6-12 college football games every week including major conferences such as SEC, Big 12, ACC and American. Plus, 20-30 men’s and women’s college basketball games from SEC, Big 12, ACC and Big East – including conference tournament games. And if that’s not enough, you’ll also have access to a selection of other college sports, including but not limited to baseball, softball, hockey, soccer and gymnastics.
College Sports Networks
ACCN Network: Enjoy more than 500 games from across the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 28 sponsored sports, along with news and information shows and original programming, including Three Day Weekend, All Access and much more.
Big Ten Network: The Big Ten Network provides comprehensive coverage of the nation’s most storied college conference, spanning 18 schools from coast to coast, with 500+ live events, originals, highlights, analysis and more. It features 40+ live Big Ten college football games and is the ultimate destination for Big Ten men’s and women’s basketball games.
SEC Network: Make sure your customers never miss a big SEC game with more than 2,000 live events across the SEC’s 22 sports, including more than 40 football games and 13 SEC Championships each season. SEC-focused original programming, including SEC Nation, SEC Now, SEC Football Final, The Paul Finebaum Show, Marty & McGee, TrueSouth, SEC Storied and so much more.
Explore our restaurant and bar sports packages today.
College Sports TV Schedule
Want to know which college games are on this fall? Check out our DIRECTV sports schedule for a complete list of all the college and pro games. Plus, as a DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS® customer, you can receive weekly, customized sports schedules up to seven days in advance with DIRECTV MVP.
Set Yourself Apart From The Competition: Get DIRECTV Today
Ready to turn your business into the ultimate college sports hangout? Get in the game with DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS®. And with 99% worry-free signal reliability, you’ll never have to worry about your customers missing a second of the action. DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS also gives businesses hassle-free customer service and complementary standard professional installation. Plus, our Sports Bar Finder provides an easy way for college sports fans to find bars that offer DIRECTV. Call 888.303.9117 to get started today!
