Ratings predictions for the third and final rounds of the Memorial, MLB “Summer Camp” and more. After a strong start, how much will the Memorial benefit from “the Tiger effect” over the weekend?
PGA Tour: final round of the Memorial (3p Sat & 3:30p Sun CBS)
Tiger Woods is always a draw, but especially after a lengthy layoff. On Thursday, his return from a six-month break delivered the largest opening round audience at the Memorial in 23 years. Combined with the PGA Tour’s hot streak since it returned from hiatus — Golf Channel has hit multiple multi-year highs and eight of ten CBS windows have increased double-digits — it is fair to expect strong numbers even with Woods out of contention entering the weekend.
Last year’s third and final rounds averaged a 1.5 and 2.1, respectively, on CBS. Predictions: 1.7 and 2.4.
MLB “Summer Camp”: White Sox-Cubs (8p Sun ESPN)
Major League Baseball’s planned return is still a few days away, but competition is scheduled to resume this weekend with exhibition “Summer Camp” games. ESPN2 gets started Saturday night with Mets-Yankees, followed by the unofficial return of Sunday Night Baseball: White Sox-Cubs on ESPN Sunday night. Given the pent-up demand for baseball, one might expect a regular season-quality rating for what amounts to a Spring Training game. On the same Sunday night last year, ESPN drew a 0.8 for a Nationals-Braves game. Prediction: 0.7.
NASCAR Cup Series at Texas (3p Sun NBCSN)
NBCSN airs its first NASCAR race of the season this weekend, opening with a Texas race that was originally scheduled for FS1 on March 29. Ratings are a lock to decline from last year, when the race aired on the FOX broadcast network and averaged a 2.2. The real question is whether the numbers can keep pace with the season’s other weekend races on cable — Bristol in May (1.7), Pocono in June (1.6) and Kentucky last weekend (1.6). Prediction: 1.5.
MLS: LAFC-LA Galaxy (10:30p Sat ESPN)
The MLS “El Trafico” rivalry has been one of the league’s marquee matchups of late. The teams’ previous meeting last October delivered the largest MLS playoff audience ever on the ESPN family of networks (excluding the MLS Cup). While the starpower has dimmed from previous years, Saturday’s matchup should still deliver one of the better results of the “MLS is Back” tournament. Thus far, ESPN has topped out at a 0.25 for the opening game of the tournament July 8. Prediction: 0.26.
Previous predictions
— NASCAR Cup Series: Brickyard 400. Prediction: 2.8; result: 2.7
— IndyCar & NASCAR Xfinity Series at IMS. Predictions: 0.8 (Indy) and 0.9 (NASCAR); result: 0.8 and 1.1
— F1 Austrian GP. Prediction: 0.46; result: 0.48
— Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Prediction: 0.7; result: 0.6
— The Basketball Tournament: House of ‘Paign-War Tampa. Prediction: 0.38; result: n.a.
— PGA Tour: Detroit third and final rounds. Predictions: 1.4 and 1.7; results: 1.1 and 1.9
