Overnight ratings for sporting events on broadcast.
Football.
4.0: Saturday Night Football on ABC, Alabama/Clemson (8 PM Saturday)
3.2: College football on ABC, regional (3:30 PM Saturday)
1.2: College Football Countdown on ABC (3 PM Saturday)
- The start of the college football season brought improved ratings to ABC on Saturday. The 4.0 overnight for Saturday Night Football marks a modest 8% improvement over a 3.7 last year. Meanwhile, the 3.2 for the early ABC game was a whopping 52% increase from a 2.1 last year.
Tennis.
2.1/5: U.S. Open on CBS (12:30 PM Monday)
1.6/4: U.S. Open on CBS (11 AM Sunday)
1.4/4: U.S. Open on CBS (11 AM Saturday)
- Ratings for the U.S. Open were down across the board over Labor Day weekend. Saturday coverage was off 13%, Sunday coverage was down 16%, and Monday’s action fell 13%. Overall, CBS averaged a 1.7 overnight for three days of coverage, down 15% from a 2.0 last year.
Golf.
1.5/4: PGA on NBC, Deutsche Bank Championship, Third round (3 PM Sunday)
1.5/3: PGA on NBC, Deutsche Bank Championship, Final round (2 PM Monday)
- Ratings for the Deutsche Bank Championship tanked over the weekend. The 1.5 for final round coverage marks a 63% plummet from a 4.0 last year, and is the lowest overnight rating ever for the five-year old event. The 1.5 for third round coverage on Sunday marks a 46% drop from a 2.8 in ’07. Overall, NBC averaged a 1.5 for its two-day coverage of the Deutsche Bank Championship, off 56% from last year.
Other.
1.7/4: MLB on FOX, regional (3:30 PM Saturday)
0.9: IRL on ABC, Detroit Indy Grand Prix (3:30 PM Sunday)
0.8/2: AVP Crocs Tour on NBC, Mason Open, Women’s Final (1:30 PM Sunday)
0.6: WNBA on ABC, Storm/Sun (1 PM Sunday)
0.5/1: AST Dew Tour on NBC, Wendy’s Invitational (4 PM Saturday)
- Opposite college football for the first time this year, ratings for baseball on FOX were flat from ’07.
- Ratings for the WNBA on ABC fell 14% on Sunday. Keep in mind the game on the comparable weekend last year was a playoff game.
- The IRL Detroit Indy Grand Prix saw a 10% drop in overnight ratings f rom last year.
