Overnight ratings for sporting events on broadcast.
Auto racing.
4.2: NASCAR on FOX, Best Buy 400 (1:30 PM Sunday)
0.8: IRL on ABC, ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt 225 (4 PM Sunday)
- The Best Buy 400 drew relatively disappointing ratings for a regularly scheduled NASCAR race on a Sunday afternoon. The 4.2 is the lowest overnight this year for a NASCAR race on a Sunday.
- Ratings for the IRL on ABC Sunday were down a whopping 33% from last year. Credit some of that to NASCAR being rained out on the comparable Sunday last year.
Basketball.
0.7: WNBA on ABC, Sparks/Mystics (3:30 PM Saturday)
- The 0.7 overnight for the Sparks’ victory over Washington on Saturday marks a 17% increase from last year. The game beat the competing LPGA broadcast on CBS head-to-head.
Golf.
1.8/4: PGA on CBS, The Memorial, Final Round (3 PM Sunday)
1.4/3: PGA on CBS, The Memorial, Third Round (3 PM Saturday)
0.6/2: LPGA on NBC, Ginn Tribute, Third Round (4 PM Saturday)
- Ratings for The Memorial plummeted this weekend. The 1.8 for final round coverage was down 31% from a 2.6 last year, while third round coverage on Saturday was off 13%.
Tennis.
1.1/3: French Open on NBC, early round coverage (1 PM Saturday)
1.0/3: French Open on NBC, early round coverage (1 PM Sunday)
- With many of the biggest stars in tennis getting knocked out early, it was no surprise to see ratings for the French Open drop over the weekend. Saturday ratings were down a mere 8% from last year, but Sunday coverage was off a whopping 38%.
Other.
3.9: Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee on ABC (8 PM Friday)
2.7/5: EliteXC Saturday Night Fights on CBS (9 PM Saturday)
2.6/5: NHL on NBC, Red Wings/Penguins (8 PM Saturday)
1.0/3: Track and field on CBS, Reebok Grand Prix (1:30 PM Saturday)
- Last year, the Spelling Bee beat LeBron James‘ 48 point Game 5 explosion head to head. This year, no such luck. The Bee drew 4.9 million viewers on ABC Friday night, while Celtics/Pistons Game 6 on ESPN drew 6.4 million viewers. The 3.9 overnight for the event was off 28%.
