Colin Cowherd Continues To Outperform Dan LeBatard, Dan Patrick In Ratings Department

The results are in, and FS1’s Colin Cowherd remains firmly on top.

According to Multi Channel, The Herd is easily outperforming its closest competitors, NBC’s Dan Patrick and ESPN’s Dan LeBatard, in the ratings department, making Fox’s coup to bring Cowherd to their network look smarter and smarter by the week.

A combined 5.8 million viewers watched at least one minute of The Herd on FS1 and FS2, outpacing LeBatard and Patrick by a combined 7 million viewers. Furthermore, Colin’s take on sports is also outperforming The Mike Francessa Show, which used to air in the very same time slot on FS1.

And that’s not all. Colin is also killing it on a variety of platforms, helping to bolster fledgling FS1’s profile across the board.

“The total reach figure includes the show’s excellent performance on a variety of digital platforms. Clips of The Herd drew 11.7 million video views over the show’s first month via Facebook, YouTube, FOXSports.com, FOXSportsRadio.com, the live-streaming FOX Sports Go app and Twitter video player.”

Podcasts are another arena that Colin’s show is gaining traction in, as well. Podcast recaps for the Best of The Herd, alongside “Full Show” offerings, combined “to rank No. 2 in the Sports & Recreation podcast category on iTunes, netting 1.2 million downloads over the show’s first month.”

Fox gambled this past summer to lure the pricey Cowherd away from rival ESPN with hopes that his audience of over 2.5 million daytime listeners would follow him to FS1. Voted one of the “Top 10 Most Powerful Voices in Sports” by the Hollywood Reporter, Cowherd did arrive at Fox with plenty of baggage, which included controversial comments towards Dominicans the week he was to leave ESPN. His remarks, criticizing Dominicans as not very educated, lead to him being booted off the air a week earlier than expected.

Of course, it’s that kind of controversy that appealed to the bigwigs at Fox in the first place, no doubt. Take his most recent brash declarations that have enraged an entire state. Just this past week, Cowherd took on the Iowa State football team when he declared that despite an unbeaten record, Iowa has no place atop the College Football. Of course, it was how he took shots at the program that got even their coach Kirk Ferentz to take notice, according to the Iowa Gazette.

“Iowa’s a poser. They walk into the club, they’re a $30,000-a-year millionaire. Look at my Corvette. It’s leased. Look at my jewelry. It’s fake. Look at my jeans. They’re my brother’s. They’re the ultimate poser in a nightclub. Look at me, look at me. You make 32 grand a year. Cowboy, sit down.”

Coach Ferentz then addressed the media during his Wednesday press conference and had choice words for Colin (without actually naming him directly).

“I found it interesting last week there was somebody that has had access to a microphone, who suggested we knew our schedule five years ago. I think there were 11 teams in the Big Ten five years ago if I’m not mistaken. There was no Leaders or Legends, no East or West. The world has changed a lot in five years.”

When asked whether or not Coach Ferentz would ever make an appearance on The Herd, he suggested he’s too fired up at the moment to entertain the thought. He also added, “It’s a game. I understand that. People that have a national mike have to make news,” suggesting he understands Cowherd’s approach.

As did Fox, which must simply be through the roof at the results Colin has demonstrated thus far against his competitors Dan LeBatard and Dan Patrick.

[Colin Cowherd photo by Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images, Dan LeBatard image courtesy of USA Today]