Back on the East Coast and soaked by rain, the U.S. Open has gotten off to an unsurprisingly slow start.
Second round coverage of the U.S. Open earned a 1.6 overnight rating on FOX Friday evening, down 27% from the network’s primetime coverage last year (2.2) and even with NBC’s afternoon window in 2014. The 1.6 is tied as the second-lowest for Friday coverage on broadcast in the past 20 years, matching 2014 and ahead of 2011 (1.4).
Regardless of round, the 1.6 is tied as the fifth-lowest for the U.S. Open on broadcast over the past two decades (excluding rainouts).
Earlier in the day, Fox Sports 1 scored a 0.8 for its first and second round coverage — down 47% from last year (1.5). Last year’s window started at Noon ET, compared to 8 AM this year, and ended later in the day. In 2014, ESPN posted a 1.0 overnight early in the day and a 1.4 in the evening.
Thursday’s rain-soaked coverage had a 0.7 final rating and 966,000 viewers on FOX. Fox Sports 1 drew 736,000 for its coverage. Last year’s opening round, which was played as scheduled and bled into primetime, averaged 2.0 million across the two networks.
(Thu. numbers from Programming Insider, ShowBuzz Daily)
