Jordan Spieth’s first win in four years was the most-watched Texas Open on record. Plus: Lakers-Clippers suffered without the Lakers’ stars, Sunday Night Baseball’s opener could not match the last normal season; and more.
Spieth win sets records for Texas Open
Last Sunday’s final round of the PGA Tour Texas Open — Jordan Spieth’s first victory since 2017 — averaged a 1.8 rating and 3.57 million viewers on NBC, flat in ratings and up 24% in viewership from 2019 (1.8, 2.73M) and the tournament’s largest audience on record.
The full tournament was also the most-watched on record, averaging 1.4 million across NBC and Golf Channel (+7%). Golf Channel’s coverage included the most-watched first round since 2002 (344K) and the top second round on record (409K).
In addition to the record-highs, NBC’s third round coverage (1.2, 1.93M) was the most-watched since 2015. 13 of the last 18 PGA Tour windows on broadcast have increased over the prior year.
Lakers-Clippers hits low absent Laker stars
Sans LeBron James and Anthony Davis, last Sunday’s Lakers-Clippers NBA regular season game averaged a 0.95 rating and 1.76 million viewers on ABC — the network’s lowest rated and second-least watched game this season. Clippers-Bucks had 1.68 million in February. Ratings fell 18% but viewership increased 6% from the comparable 2019 game (Thunder-Timberwolves: 1.2, 1.66M).
It was the teams’ least-watched meeting since a late night Christmas game in 2016 (1.61M). Their five previous national games (including two on Opening Night, one on opening night of the “bubble,” and one on Christmas) each averaged over three million.
In other action, ESPN averaged 1.16 million for Jazz-Suns (+37%) and 1.00 million for Pelicans-Nets (+15%) Wednesday, and TNT drew 855,000 for Bucks-Warriors (-35%) and 782,000 for Sixers-Celtics (+21%) Tuesday. The comparable days in 2019 were the final two days of the regular season.
Sunday Night Baseball opener down from last normal season
White Sox-Angels averaged a 0.9 rating and 1.61 million viewers in the season premiere of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball last weekend, down 20% in ratings and 14% in viewership from 2019 (Braves-Phillies: 1.1, 1.87M). Versus the first Sunday night game last season, Braves-Mets in late July, ratings were flat and viewership increased 16% from 1.39 million.
Earlier in the day, Braves-Phillies averaged a 0.34 (+6%) and 593,000 (+21%). Rays-Red Sox led the following day’s quadrupleheader at 483,000 (-36%), followed by Royals-Indians (477K, -7%), Twins-Tigers (447K, -7%) and White Sox-Mariners (244K, -49%). Mets-Phillies drew 550,000 on Tuesday.
FS1 opened its season last Saturday at a 0.21 (-38%) and 368,000 (-34%) for Braves-Phillies and a 0.14 and 246,000 (-1%) for Dodgers-Rockies.
Locally, Monday’s Mets-Phillies game on SNY averaged 413,000 — topping some of the aforementioned national games and the most-watched season-opener ever on the RSN.
Plus: ANWA, LPGA, NHL
Last Saturday’s final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur scored a 0.65 and 996,000 on NBC, down 25% and 17% respectively from the inaugural edition in ’19 (0.9, 1.19M), but the most-watched women’s golf event since the 2019 Women’s British Open. … Final round coverage of the LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration, the first major of the season, averaged 308,000 viewers last Sunday — down 31% from last year, when it took place in September and aired opposite NFL games (449K). … NBC’s NHL game of the week (Red Wings-Lightning) drew a 0.41 and 692,000 last Sunday, a season-low. By the comparable point in 2019, the regular season had ended. NBCSN drew 201,000 for Stars-Hurricanes Sunday night and 196,000 for both Penguins-Rangers on Tuesday and Canadiens-Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
