A review of the articles on this website from February 9 to February 15.
Monday
- Overnight ratings: the Pro Bowl (5.8) is down 16%, the Budweiser Shootout (4.1) is down 9%, and the final round of the Buick Invitational (2.1) is down 54%. On the bright side, Red Wings/Penguins (1.1) is up 22%, and Lakers/Cavaliers (5.0) is up 73% — with the latter drawing the highest overnight rating for a non-Christmas regular season NBA game in six years.
- Alex Rodriguez sits down with ESPN’s Peter Gammons and admits using performance enchancing drugs. But the biggest shock in the interview may be his allegations against Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts.
- TNT plans to bring analyst Charles Barkley back to the studio following NBA All-Star Weekend.
Tuesday
- College basketball drew low ratings over the weekend; three games on CBS and ABC averaged a 0.8 overnight rating, the same rating as four skiing telecasts averaged.
- More on Alex Rodriguez v. Selena Roberts: Peter Gammons regrets not speaking up on Roberts’ behalf during the Rodriguez interview. Meanwhile, Roberts denies Rodriguez’ accusations.
Wednesday
- Alex Rodriguez’ interview with Peter Gammons helped Monday’s 6:00 PM SportsCenter draw a 1.0 rating, up 43% from the previous week’s show.
- FOX announces that it will precede its NASCAR telecasts with a new animated series about the network’s Gopher Cam mascot, Digger.
Thursday
- Notes on two rematches of highly-rated college football games: USC/Ohio State will once again air on a Saturday night, but this time on ESPN. Meanwhile, Texas Tech/Texas will again be part of ABC’s Saturday Night Football schedule, but in September as opposed to November.
- Sunday’s Lakers/Cavaliers game on ABC drew a 3.8 final rating, up 46% from last year’s game. So far this season, NBA ratings are up 20% on ABC.
- Sharks/Bruins draws a 0.5 cable rating and 550,000 viewers on Versus, tying the game as the highest rated regular season NHL telecast ever on the network. While the game does not hold the top spot in total viewers, it is the most viewed telecast on Versus in households.
- North Carolina’s Wednesday night win over Duke draws 3.3 million viewers, up 65% from the comparable game a week before, and up 27% from the last year’s first meeting of the season between the two rivals.
- Univision draws 5.9 million viewers for its coverage of the USA/Mexico World Cup Qualifying Match.
Friday
- In addition to the 5.9 million viewers on Univision, Wednesday’s USA/Mexico World Cup Qualifying Match draws 1.2 million viewers on ESPN2, making the match the most viewed FIFA qualifying match ever on the network.
- Ratings drop for the Budweiser Shootout, but the event is still the second-highest rated sporting event of the weekend.
Saturday
- In the face of the economic crisis, ad sales hold steady for the Daytona 500 and NBA All-Star Game.
- NHL ratings on NBC are up 25% from the comparable date in ’08.
- The final round of the Buick Invitational draws a 2.0/4 rating, down 52% from last year.
- Charles Barkley’s T-Mobile ads return to television, after being pulled following his December drunk driving arrest.
- The Pro Bowl draws a 5.4/10 final rating, off 14% from last year.
- Ratings for the entire NBA All-Star Weekend since 2003.
- Ratings predictions for a high-profile sports weekend.
Sunday
- Sunday night games during the 2009 NBA Finals will start at 8 PM ET, an hour earlier than in previous years.
- NBA All-Star Saturday night draws a 3.5 U.S. rating and 5.8 million viewers on TNT, up 11% and 12% from last year, and a record high.
