Overnight (metered market) ratings by sport:
Football.
3.7: College football, Regional action (3:30 PM Sat., ABC)
3.0/7: College football, Tennessee/California (3:30 PM Sat., ABC)
2.1: College football, Ga. Tech/Notre Dame (3:30 PM Sat., NBC)
- Major declines for college football coverage. ABC averaged a 2.9 rating for its weekend coverage, the lowest average for the first weekend of the season since at least 1999. ABC averaged a 4.8 overnight for the first weekend of college football last year, a 3.3 in 2005, and a 3.0 in 2004.
Tennis.
2.4/5: U.S. Open (11:00 AM Mon., CBS)
1.9/5: U.S. Open (11:00 AM Sun., CBS)
1.6/4: U.S. Open (11:00 AM Sat., CBS)
- The 2.0 average overnight rating for U.S. Open coverage on CBS is down 13% from the comparable 2.3 for Labor Day weekend coverage last year. USA Network is also seeing declining numbers for the Open; ratings for the first four days were down 14% from 2006.
Golf.
4.0/9: Deutsche Bank Championship, Final Round (2:00 PM Mon., NBC)
2.8/7: Deutsche Bank Championship, Third Round (2:00 PM Sun., NBC)
- Despite being the highest rated sporting event on network television over the weekend, the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship fell 16% from a 4.8 overnight last year. Last year’s event aired on ABC. The two-day average rating of 3.4 is down 13% from a 3.9 two-day average last year.
Other.
1.7/4: MLB, Regional action (3:30 PM Sat., FOX)
1.5/4: Track & Field: IAAF World Championships (1:00 PM Sun., NBC)
1.3/3: Track & Field: IAAF World Championships (2:00 PM Sat., NBC)
1.0: IRL, Detroit Grand Prix (3:30 PM Sun., ABC)
0.7: WNBA Playoffs, Fever v. Shock Gm 2 (1:00 PM Sun., ABC)
- Not surprisingly, FOX posts its lowest overnight of the entire season for Major League Baseball coverage. There was no comparable coverage last year. The last time FOX aired baseball on Labor Day weekend, in 2003, coverage drew a 3.9/10 overnight.
