First, the results of last week’s predictions:
- PGA Championship on CBS. Prediction: 5.1 and 7.5. Final rating: 4.2 and 6.2. Ratings for Tiger Woods‘ second straight PGA Championship victory were down 14% and 11%, respectively, from last year. The 4.2 for third round coverage was eclipsed by a 4.9 rating for a Cowboys/Colts NFL preseason game on FOX Thursday night.
- MLB on FOX, Regional action. Prediction: 2.1. Final rating: 1.8. The 1.8 rating is the lowest for a baseball game on network television since September 23 of last year, when regional coverage on FOX drew a 1.5 opposite college football. Since the All Star Break, every baseball telecast on FOX has seen declining ratings.
- NASCAR on ESPN, Centurion Boats at The Glen. Prediction: 3.4. Final rating: 3.5. As predicted, NASCAR fell back to Earth somewhat; expect the next three races on ESPN to draw ratings in the 3.3 – 3.6 range. Despite the week-to-week drop, NASCAR blew away its racing competition; two other racing telecasts on Sunday drew a combined 0.8 rating (Champ Car on ABC and ALMS on NBC, both of which drew final national ratings of 0.4).
- NFL on CBS, Bills at Saints. Prediction: 2.7. Final rating: 2.9. A terrible rating, but considering that the game aired on a Friday night in mid-August, CBS will take it. The preseason game on FOX the previous night drew a 4.9 rating.
- Sunday Night Football on NBC, Seahawks/Chargers. Prediction: 5.2. Final rating: 4.1. A 29% for a sporting event is usually cause for concern. However, NFL preseason games are not only meaningless on the field, but in the television ratings as well.
- WNBA on ABC, Fever at Shock. Prediction: 0.4. Final rating: 0.5. WNBA ratings were never spectacular. However, the numbers have plummeted in recent years; Saturday’s game was second-lowest rated sporting event on network television last weekend, ahead of only U.S. Junior Golf and the aforementioned Champ Car and ALMS races.
This week’s predictions:
- MLB on FOX, Tigers/Yankees or Cardinals/Cubs, 3:30 PM Saturday — Two pivotal match-ups with playoff implications should help FOX rise out of the ratings doldrums. However, FOX will need at least a 3.3 rating to surpass the rating drawn on the comparable date last year. Looks like the streak of ratings declines will extend to eight weeks. Prediction: 2.7.
- Little League World Series on ABC, 3:30 PM Saturday — Can the Little Leaguers beat the big leaguers? The LLWS goes head to head with baseball on FOX tomorrow; last year, the lone game to air on ABC, the U.S. Championship, drew a 4.6 rating. Prediction: 1.7.
- NASCAR on ESPN, 3M Performance 400, 2:00 PM Sunday — While NASCAR ratings continue to decline overall, the numbers on cable are still strong. Look for another decent rating for ESPN this Sunday. Prediction: 3.3.
- Sunday Night Football on NBC, Giants at Ravens, 8:00 PM Sunday — On the comparable date last year, NBC drew a 5.5 for a preseason game. This year, the preseason seems to be overshadowed by the Michael Vick case and the other controversies in sports. Look for a sizable drop in numbers for NBC this Sunday. Prediction: 4.4.
