The final Wimbledon telecasts on NBC were up slightly from last year, but the numbers still ranked among the lowest in recent memory.
Coverage of Wimbledon on NBC, featuring the Novak Djokovic/Rafael Nadal Men’s Final, earned a 1.8 final rating and 2.652 million viewers July 3 — up 13% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (Nadal/Berdych: 1.6, 2.317M), but down a whopping 53% and 54%, respectively, from 2009 (Federer/Roddick: 3.8, 5.704M).
The 1.8 rating is the second-lowest for coverage of the Wimbledon Men’s Final since at least 1996 (ratings prior to 1997 were not available). Only last year’s telecast earned lower numbers.
The previous day, coverage featuring the Petra Kvitov?/Maria Sharapova Women’s Final drew a 1.6 and 2.249 million viewers, flat in ratings and up 1% in viewership compared to last year (S. Williams/Zvonareva: 1.6, 2.234M), but down 30% and 31%, respectively, from 2009 (S. Williams/V. Williams: 2.3, 3.272M).
The 1.6 rating is tied as the lowest for coverage of the Wimbledon Women’s Final since at least 1996 (ratings prior to 1997 were not available).
This is the second straight year that both Wimbledon singles finals attracted fewer than 2% of U.S. TV homes. For some perspective, each singles final between 1997 and 2009 drew at least 2% of homes.
Other Wimbledon ratings: NBC drew a 1.0 final rating and 1.303 million viewers for afternoon coverage on July 2, featuring coverage of Rafael Nadal/Andy Murray Men’s Semifinal. The previous day, coverage featuring the Maria Sharapova/Sabine Lisicki Women’s Semifinal drew a 0.9 and 1.239 million.
Ratings/Viewership For Wimbledon Singles Finals
Dating back to 2002
|
Year
|
Net
|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Date
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
Date
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
||
|
2011
|
NBC | Sat., 7/2/11 |
1.6
|
2,249
|
Sun., 7/3/11 |
1.8
|
2,652
|
|
2010
|
NBC | Sat., 7/3/10 |
1.6
|
2,234
|
Sun., 7/4/10 |
1.6
|
2,317
|
|
2009
|
NBC | Sat., 7/4/09 |
2.3
|
3,272
|
Sun., 7/5/09 |
3.8
|
5,706
|
|
2008
|
NBC | Sat., 7/5/08 |
2.5
|
3,654
|
Sun., 7/6/08 |
3.5
|
5,173
|
|
2007
|
NBC | Sat., 7/7/07 |
2.2
|
3,056
|
Sun., 7/8/07 |
2.7
|
3,753
|
|
2006
|
NBC | Sat., 7/8/06 |
2.0
|
2,654
|
Sun., 7/9/06 |
2.5
|
3,401
|
|
2005
|
NBC | Sat., 7/2/05 |
3.4
|
4,616
|
Sun., 7/3/05 |
2.1
|
2,750
|
|
2004
|
NBC | Sat., 7/3/04 |
3.1
|
3,981
|
Sun., 7/4/04 |
2.8
|
3,640
|
|
2003
|
NBC | Sat., 7/5/03 |
2.9
|
3,421
|
Sun., 7/6/03 |
2.2
|
2,670
|
|
2002
|
NBC | Sat., 7/6/02 |
3.4
|
4,554
|
Sun., 7/7/02 |
2.4
|
3,212
|
(This year’s numbers courtesy Robert Seidman, TV By the Numbers)
