Open Championship Ratings Lowest in 28 Years
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 19, 2010 11:40 AM EDT
in Pro Golf
Email
PrintThe final round of the Open Championship proved to turn audiences away from ESPN on Sunday. The overnight rating of 2.6 for the telecast is the lowest since 1991, when ABC aired the final round to a 2.9 number.
Last year's final round with Tom Watson falling in a playoff to Stewart Cink did a 3.8 on ABC. According to Sports Media Watch, that number was 0.2 points higher than the most watched golf telecast ever on cable - the Tiger Woods-Rocco Mediate playoff for the 2008 US Open.
With Woods nowhere near contention and Phil Mickelson languishing even further behind, Americans were not drawn to golf's first men's major broadcast entirely on cable. ESPN will augment its numbers with ESPN3.com views, but still not likely enough to surpass the '91 number in terms of total eyeballs.
The move to cable simply takes a chunk of the audience out of the equation instantaneously. A dominating win by a guy casual fans have never heard of does even more to lower ratings.
61 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
See ? I TOLD you those broadcasters were awful !! :-D
I guess the lower numbers show that a lot of the viewing public doesn’t realize that even when Tiger and Phil aren’t contending, they still dominate the broadcast.
Anybody know what the percentages of TV watchers actually don’t have cable/satellite/AT&T ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
It's understandable the American public would switch off when none of theirs were contending
Golfers, would watch it because they love the golf. TGC shouldn’t put all their eggs in one basket…it can go off.
safe to assume that when a European (or more specifically for you, someone from the UK) isn’t leading, TV’s get switched off over there ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
No, that isn't true
As Wendy will confirm, we love golf and we fly the flag a lot less than you do. Oosty won the Open handsomely…if a Brit won, great, but he deserved it more than anyone. Now if you are talking casual fans, who don’t understand the game, some of them might switch off. I love the Open…it’s bigger than any tournament, or any player. Like bloody religion man :)
We don't have the Tiger/Mickelson effect here
so if you’re a golf fan, you watch it no matter who is playing/in contention. That said, my neighbour who just popped over for a ricard or two,(as one does) asked me if I was happy about the result. I had to reply that at Saturday finish, I was rooting for Westwood or Casey, but by Sunday I was praying that Oosty would hold his nerve.
You don’t believe in golfing gods? Egad Sirs!!
The Golfing Gods are generally mischievous gremlins who delight in my suffering.
by Charles Boyer on Jul 19, 2010 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions
And I thought we were friends!
You get a kick out of my suffering on the golf course too?
OUCH!
by Charles Boyer on Jul 19, 2010 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Wendy, give them some space
they’ll do so as they age…..STUB
The Tiger/Micklson effect as Wendy puts it is interesting
When one looks at the history of American golf, right up to the ’80’s they won everything. The ‘81 Ryder Cup team was the strongest ever. But after that, things changed. They got beat…and often. Suddenly, international players won more than they did. But in ’97, Tiger burst on the scene and dominated like no one else. Now, American golf media, like the GC go way over the top about the Tiger Phil show like no one else matters. In America, some even panic about sponsors if Tiger fades away. Even here, Ryan went on about a Tiger/Phil tour. The pair haven’t much time left and you know, there is no need to panic. The changing of the gaurd has already begun and that in itself is exciting and fresh. Golf is doing very well thank you.
good luck, Eas.
Let’s see if they pay any more attention to you than they did me when I’ve twice (at least) suggested that TV viewership of the PGA Tour doesn’t really reflect the health of the sport. It does, however, reflect the wallets of management at any company that makes or sells anything having to do with golf.
"(I)f you think you've got an inside track to absolute truth, you become doctrinaire, humorless and intellectually constipated." Saul Alinsky
Ratings have their ups and downs in all sports
But the true fans of the game just want to sit and watch good golf. Yesterday the clubhouse was packed full right up until the final putt dropped
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Plus the weather's always a factor. If it's relatively nice after a long
heat wave, many golfers go outside and, say, golf.
that's what I did yesterday...`
I was on the first tee at 11:40am, and in the bar at 4-ish…counting my buddy’s money.
Been on a bit of a negative streak after having to neglect my game, but yesterday the putts started dropping again because I got rather precise in my routine. Must have driven them crazy for me to actually make sure I read 2 foot putts and give them their due, but last weekend, I lost 3 strokes thanks to slack putting.
That and being calmer with the driver. Balance is very underrated in the amateur game.
by Charles Boyer on Jul 19, 2010 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I played yesterday. I missed the entire final round. Did anyone win?? 8-)
"(I)f you think you've got an inside track to absolute truth, you become doctrinaire, humorless and intellectually constipated." Saul Alinsky
Tiger finished T23......what else do you need to know???
The Saints ARE the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....WHO DAT!
He doesn't need clubs......he "wills" the ball into the hole.....
The Saints ARE the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....WHO DAT!
He's won't-ed the ball this year.
No hookers, no wins.
by Charles Boyer on Jul 19, 2010 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
which clubhouse were you at this past weekend ? You’re like The Donald with all the places you go – it’s hard to keep up. :-)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Progolf must be one of those well-to-do.
Good to see an ex-boxer who hasn’t squandered all his money away.
Either that or
he beats up the other workers and takes their lunch money……haha.
The Saints ARE the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....WHO DAT!
TXQ
I made squadoodle as a fighter, I just managed to make some good business decisions over the last 25 years or so and it helps that I have partners.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Court
I was at “The Majors Golf Club” in Palm Bay this week. Played in a tournament on Saturday. LMAO@ the Donald. I wish.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
hahahahaha
touche’ I don’t think the 12th hole liked me very much. It looked better before I arrived.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
I loved it Court
It’s an Arnold Palmer designed course, semi-private and quite inexpensive to play. Lots of rolling hills and deeper type bunkers. I’d recommend it to anyone.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
And no need to email me next time asking me to
ask you to post your score on this site. (J/K)
Not to be Captain Obvious...
But this just goes to show how important names like Mickelson and Woods are for most men’s golf tours.
Adam Fonseca
That doesn’t bode well for golf’s TV ratings in the future, since the two of them are at the least heading towards the backsides of their careers.
Then again, young guys like Ishikawa have press contingents the size of Woods now. If Fowler and McIlroy hold up their part, things will be fine.
by Charles Boyer on Jul 19, 2010 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Ratings Shmatings
Golf survived on TV looong before Phil and Tiger and will survive long afterwards. I hear “fringe boxing fans” that don’t know squadoodle about boxing say that there are no more good televised fights unless it’s a pay per view. Thats a bunch of crapola. I watch ESPN friday night fights, Boxing After Dark on HBO every second Saturday of the month. Showtime Championship Boxing every third Saturday and ShoBox next generation twice a month. I doubt very much that the “fringe fans” of golf watch the Euro Tour on TGC on Saturday and Sunday mornings or even know that it’s on. lolol
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Progolf Sets Record for Using "Squadoodle" Twice in Single Post.
Breaks former record by two.
Touché on the boxing reference. I was definitely wrong about that one.
Anyway, I agree with you that golf will be just fine when Tiger and Phil step off the stage.
I know it must hurt the feelings of some folks, but I was reading that in 5-10 years fútbol will surpass golf in popularity in the US in terms of TV ratings. The demographic shift underway in the US all but assures it. That’s fine by me, means I won’t likely have to pay extra to DirecTV to see EPL, La Ligue and Serie A here.
by Charles Boyer on Jul 19, 2010 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s what they said when Palmer and Nicklaus started winding down…then came Watson and half a dozen others…then came Norman…then came Faldo. We have guys like Fowler and Dustin Johnson and Villegas and Kim….to look forward to.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Yeah and dont forget about my ...
Always Svelt Pal, Tim Lumpy Herron. I hear he’s making a big comeback.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
I still have not yet figured out
How to post pictures on this website, besides drawing one on my monitor.
Anyone help ?
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Posting Pics
When you click reply, you are given a row of icons, B for bold, I for italics, S for strike, and so on. The right handed one is for pictures.
Clicking that opens a dialog that asks you for the address of the photo that you wish to post. Enter it there and click okay. It will be in the form of a web address, i.e.
http://www.ingolfwetrust.com/golf-central/content/binary/Cypress-Point-Golf-16-Par-3.jpg
If you have a photo of your own that you would like to post here, you have to get it onto the Internet somewhere. I suggest Imageshack or Flickr, either of which will do the job capably. Google them to get links and go from there.
by Charles Boyer on Jul 19, 2010 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Have a golf story tip? Contact editor Charles Boyer and he will follow the story! Thanks!
Related FanPosts on Waggle Room
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
