Reviewing the Idle Notes For '10

Reviewing the predictions made on this site last January 1, on a Nostradamus scale of 1 to 10.

Prediction: Helped by the presence of the Cowboys, Patriots, Packers and Vikings, ratings for the NFL Playoffs increase from last year. The NFC Championship Game between the Packers and Vikings draws a 28.7 rating, the highest since ’08. Meanwhile, the AFC title game between the Patriots and Colts draws a 27.1. The Vikings/Colts Super Bowl becomes the third straight to set a record high in viewership, drawing 99.1 million viewers.

Nostradamus Scale: 8. NFL playoff ratings did increase substantially, boosted in large part by the presence of the Vikings and Cowboys (the Patriots and Packers were eliminated early). The NFC Championship Game between the Vikings and Saints drew a 30.6 rating, the highest for an NFL Conference Championship Game since 1996. Meanwhile, the Jets/Colts AFC game drew a 26.3. The Saints/Colts Super Bowl did in fact set a record-high in viewership — not just for the Super Bowl, but for all of television, drawing 106.480 million viewers.

Prediction: The Texas/Alabama BCS National Championship Game draws a 16.1 rating on ABC, the highest for the BCS title game since Florida/Ohio State in ’07.

Nostradamus Scale: 9. Alabama’s win over Texas scored a 17.2 rating, the highest for the National Championship Game since 2007.

Prediction: Regular season NBA ratings hold steady on ABC (2.3), increase on TNT (1.3) and decline on ESPN (1.0). Ratings during the playoffs drop on ESPN and TNT, especially during the Conference Finals — which feature a low-key Magic/Hawks battle in the East and the Lakers sweeping the Rockets in the West. Ratings drop for the Lakers/Magic NBA Finals rematch (8.2, 14.1 million viewers).

Nostradamus Scale: 7. Regular season ratings were flat on ABC, and also held steady on TNT and ESPN. Ratings dropped during the playoffs — especially during the Celtics/Magic and Lakers/Suns Conference Finals, when every single game was either flat or down compared to 2009. The Lakers/Celtics NBA Finals, however, was a major ratings success, averaging a 10.4 rating and 18.144 million viewers.

Prediction: FOX sets another record low for its MLB Game of the Week (1.6). During the playoffs, the Yankees’ second-straight trip to the ALCS gives TBS record-high ratings. Meanwhile, FOX is saddled with record lows for its coverage of the NLCS, featuring the Cardinals and the surprising Nationals. The five-game Yankees/Cardinals World Series draws a 10.9 rating and 17.9 million viewers, off from the previous year.

Nostradamus Scale: 6. FOX tied the record low for its regular season Game of the Week coverage (1.8), and the Yankees’ second-straight trip to the ALCS did give TBS record-high ratings. However, the Giants/Phillies NLCS on FOX was far from a record low, instead ranking as the highest rated NLCS since 2006. The five-game Giants/Rangers World Series averaged an 8.4 and 14.3 million viewers — tying a record low in ratings.

Prediction: The Penguins and Red Wings get bounced out of the playoffs early. However, it’s not all bad for the NHL, as the surprising Rangers and Kings meet in the Stanley Cup Final. Boosted by the top two U.S. television markets, the six-game series averages 5 million viewers on NBC/Versus, up from last year, and the most-viewed Stanley Cup Final of the past eight years.

Nostradamus Scale: 5. The Penguins and Red Wings did get bounced from the playoffs early (second round for both), but the Rangers and Kings did not get anywhere near the Stanley Cup Final. The series did feature two big markets and last for six games, however, as Blackhawks/Flyers averaged the most viewers for the NHL’s championship series on broadcast (NBC) since 1996. Averages for the series on both NBC and Versus were not available.

Prediction: The Arnold Palmer Invitational, Tiger Woods‘ first tournament back from his leave of absence, draws a 5.7 rating on Saturday and a 7.1 on Sunday — topping NCAA Tournament coverage on CBS airing at the same time. Final round coverage of Woods’ win at The Masters draws a 10.3 rating on CBS, the highest since ’01.

Nostradamus Scale: 8. Tiger did not make his return at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but at The Masters. Final round coverage of his fourth-place finish averaged a 10.7 rating on CBS, the highest since 2001.

Prediction: Despite moving back to more traditional start times, NASCAR ratings keep dropping.

Nostradamus Scale: 10. NASCAR ratings kept dropping in 2010, as FOX had its lowest rated season ever, and the Chase for the Cup on ESPN and ABC also set record lows. 26 of the 31 races that could be compared to 2009 had declines.

Prediction: Comcast/NBC wins the rights to the 2014 and 2016 Olympics.

Nostradamus Scale: 0. U.S. television rights to the 2014 and 2016 Olympics have yet to be awarded.

Prediction: Turner Sports taps Ernie Johnson to be the new lead play-by-play voice for Major League Baseball games on TBS.

Nostradamus Scale: 10. Turner Sports selected Ernie Johnson as its lead play-by-play voice for MLB postseason coverage.

Prediction: Brett Favre retires and joins ESPN as an NFL analyst. He returns to the NFL after Week 2. When his team misses the playoffs, he rejoins ESPN as a guest analyst. And then, in 2011, he returns to the NFL again.

Nostradamus Scale: 1. Favre didn’t retire in 2010, although there was the customary drama over whether he would come back to the Vikings for another season. His Vikings did miss the playoffs, however.

Prediction: ESPN acquires the rights to the entire NCAA Tournament.