The final U.S. Open match on CBS was a recipe for poor television ratings.
The Marin Čilić/Kei Nishikori U.S. Open men’s final drew a 1.9 overnight rating on CBS Monday afternoon, down 32% from Rafael Nadal/Novak Djokovic last year (2.8), down 17% from Andy Murray/Djokovic in 2012 (2.3), and the lowest overnight for the men’s final since at least 1994 (overnights prior to 1995 were not available).
Already hamstrung by a Monday afternoon timeslot, the match featured a pair of unknown players in a drama-free straight set blowout.
This year was the seventh-straight in which the men’s final aired on a Monday afternoon. The seven Monday finals rank as the lowest rated in the metered markets dating back to 1995. The lowest overnight for a Sunday final over that span was a 3.0 for Patrick Rafter‘s 1998 win over Mark Philippoussis.
The last Sunday men’s final — Roger Federer‘s 2007 win over Djokovic — drew a 4.2 overnight. Next year, when the U.S. Open moves to ESPN full time, the men’s final will again be scheduled for Sunday.
(Mon. overnight from Sports Business Daily)
