Tiger Woods moves the needle so often that CBS Sports president Sean McManus calls his effect on the ratings “mathematical and predictable.”
The latest evidence of Woods’ effect on the ratings came last week. Final round coverage of the Bridgestone Invitational, Woods’ fifth victory of the season, drew a 4.3 rating and 6.3 million viewers on CBS — up 105% and 103%, respectively, from a 2.1 and 3.1 million last year.
This marks the fifth tournament in ’09 to have at least a 100% increase in ratings for final round coverage. Woods won four of those five tournaments, and finished in the top 5 in the other.
Woods’ victory proved a bigger television draw than Red Sox/Yankees over the weekend; the 6.3 million viewers for the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational finished comfortably ahead of Red Sox/Yankees Saturday on FOX (4.0 million) and Sunday on ESPN (4.7 million). However, Woods was no match for preseason football; the NFL Hall of Fame Game outdrew the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational by 25% (7.9 million to 6.3 million).
Woods’ 5 victories this season have averaged a 4.0 rating for final round coverage, 60% higher than the 2.5 for events he did not win. This excludes final round coverage of the U.S. Open, John Deere Classic, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and RBC Canadian Open, all of which concluded on Mondays.
Ratings for final round coverage of PGA Tour events in ’09.
* Sunday coverage was completely rained out
^ Sunday coverage included third and final round play
| Date | Event | Net | Woods’ results | Rating | vs. ’08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., 2/1/09 | FBR Open | CBS |
DNP
|
1.3
|
-43% |
| Sun., 2/8/09 | Buick Invitational | CBS |
DNP
|
2.0
|
-52% |
| Sun., 2/15/09 | AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am* | CBS |
DNP
|
1.0
|
-60%
|
| Sun., 2/22/09 | Northern Trust Open | CBS |
DNP
|
3.3
|
32% |
| Sun., 3/1/09 | WGC Accenture Match Play Championship | NBC |
T-17
|
1.9
|
-37% |
| Sun., 3/8/09 | Honda Classic | NBC |
DNP
|
1.5
|
-29% |
| Sun., 3/15/09 | WGC-CA Championship | NBC |
T-9
|
3.4
|
13% |
| Sun., 3/22/09 | Transitions Championship | NBC |
DNP
|
1.7
|
-11% |
| Sun., 3/29/09 | Arnold Palmer Invitational | NBC |
Winner
|
4.4
|
26% |
| Sun., 4/5/09 | Shell Houston Open | NBC |
DNP
|
2.3
|
53% |
| Sun., 4/12/09 | The Masters | CBS |
T-6
|
8.3
|
-3% |
| Sun., 4/19/09 | Verizon Heritage | CBS |
DNP
|
1.7
|
6% |
| Sun., 4/26/09 | Zurich Classic of New Orleans | CBS |
DNP
|
1.5
|
-6% |
| Sun., 5/3/09 | Quail Hollow Championship | CBS |
4th
|
3.7
|
131% |
| Sun., 5/10/09 | The Players Championship | NBC |
8th
|
3.6
|
16% |
| Sun., 5/17/09 | Valero Texas Open | CBS |
DNP
|
1.7
|
0% |
| Sun., 5/24/09 | HP Byron Nelson Championship | CBS |
DNP
|
1.2
|
-33% |
| Sun., 5/31/09 | Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial | CBS |
DNP
|
1.5
|
-12% |
| Sun., 6/7/09 | The Memorial | CBS |
Winner
|
3.2
|
100% |
| Sun., 6/14/09 | St. Jude Classic | CBS |
DNP
|
1.8
|
-5% |
| Sun., 6/21/09 | U.S. Open^ | NBC |
T-6th
|
4.7
|
-37% |
| Sun., 6/28/09 | Travelers Championship | CBS |
DNP
|
1.6
|
0% |
| Sun., 7/5/09 | AT&T National | CBS |
Winner
|
4.2
|
180% |
| Sun., 7/12/09 | John Deere Classic^ | CBS |
DNP
|
1.6
|
-6% |
| Sun., 7/19/09 | British Open | ABC |
Missed cut
|
3.8
|
15% |
| Sun., 7/26/09 | RBC Canadian Open* | CBS |
DNP
|
0.7
|
-50% |
| Sun., 8/2/09 | Buick Open | CBS |
Winner
|
3.7
|
164% |
| Sun., 8/9/09 | Bridgestone Invitational | CBS |
Winner
|
4.3
|
105% |
