First, the results of last week’s predictions.
Some ratings courtesy the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- MLS on ABC, Galaxy/United. Prediction: 1.0. Final rating: 0.9. The 0.9 for last Sunday’s Galaxy/United game is the highest for an MLS telecast on ABC since 2004, when the debut of Freddy Adu drew a 1.3/4. The 0.9 marks an 80% increase over the 0.5 for ABC’s lone regular season broadcast last year, and is higher than the ratings for the past six MLS Cups.
- Euro 2008 on ABC, Spain/Germany. Prediction: 2.1. Final rating: 2.3. The Spain/Germany Euro 2008 final drew 3.8 million viewers last Sunday on ABC. The 2.3 rating was the third highest of any sporting event on broadcast last weekend, behind only baseball on FOX and the U.S. Olympic trials on NBC.
- MLB on FOX, Yankees/Mets or Cubs/White Sox. Prediction: 2.8. Final rating: 2.5. Though a 2.5 rating is solid for regular season baseball, FOX had to be expecting slightly higher numbers. The 2.5 is down 11% from last year’s broadcast featuring Yankees/Mets and Cubs/White Sox. Through last Saturday, FOX is averaging a 2.1 rating for thirteen MLB telecasts, down 16% from last year.
- U.S. Olympic Trials on NBC, Swimming/Track & Field. Prediction: 3.5. Final rating: 3.4. Ratings for NBC’s prime time coverage of the Olympic swimming and track & field trials dropped 19% from the comparable broadcast in 2004.
- NASCAR on TNT, Lenox Industrial Tools 301. Prediction: 3.5. Final rating: 3.4. TNT saw a slight ratings uptick for NASCAR last Sunday. The 3.4 for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 was up 3% from last year.
This week’s predictions:
- Wimbledon on NBC, Venus Williams v. Serena Williams, 9 AM Saturday — For the first time in five years, there will be a Williams/Williams Grand Slam final. The last time the star siblings played each other in a final was at Wimbledon in 2003. NBC drew a 2.9/10 for that match, down from a 3.4 for the same match-up the previous year, indicating that the curiosity factor had begun to wear off. With so many years between battles, perhaps casual fans will regain their interest. Prediction: 3.2.
- Wimbledon on NBC, Roger Federer v. Rafael Nadal, 9 AM Sunday — NBC not only gets its dream women’s final, but the dream men’s final as well. While the Federer/Nadal rivalry has led to some exquisite tennis, the ratings have not risen above mediocre levels. Their five-set battle last year was the third highest rated of the decade, but still failed to draw a 3.0 rating. Prediction: 2.8.
- MLB on FOX, Red Sox/Yankees or Cubs/Cardinals, 3:30 PM Saturday — FOX gets the Yankees for the second consecutive week, which should help ratings. While Yankees/Red Sox games are not drawing as well nationally as they did a year ago, the April 12 meeting between the teams still ranks as the most watched MLB telecast of the season. Prediction: 2.9.
- NASCAR on FOX, Coke Zero 400, 8 PM Saturday — Last year, the race formerly known as the Pepsi 400 was tied as TNT’s highest rated of the season. To have the same result this year, the race will have to match the 3.9 rating for the Pocono 300. Prediction: 3.7.
- PGA on CBS, AT&T National, Final Round, 3 PM Sunday — Look for a major drop for the AT&T National this weekend. Last year, even with Tiger Woods playing, the event did not draw blockbuster ratings, putting up a 2.0 on Saturday and a 2.6 for final round coverage on Sunday. Expect worse numbers this time around, with Woods sitting on the sidelines. Prediction: 1.6.
