The second Masters in five months began on a slightly better note in the ratings.
Thursday’s opening round of the Masters averaged a 1.5 rating and 2.30 million viewers on ESPN, up a tick in ratings and 4% in viewership from last year, when the tournament took place in November (1.4, 2.21M), but down 12% and 7% respectively from the previous April edition in 2019 (1.7, 2.48M).
The telecast, which peaked with 2.7 million viewers from 5:30-5:45 PM ET, ranks 11th out of 14 opening round windows since ESPN began airing the Masters in 2008. Only last year, 2017 (2.13M) and 2014 (2.01M) rank lower. Outside of last year, the four smallest audiences have come in which Tiger Woods did not play.
The 4% bump is on the modest side in a year when golf ratings have been on the rise. Last week’s opening round of the Texas Open, for example, increased 22% from the last time it was played in 2019. Having said that, one need only go back two weeks for a smaller opening round boost — just 1% for the WGC Match Play.
Tampa-St. Petersburg led all markets Thursday with a 2.8 rating, followed by Austin, Texas, and West Palm Beach, Fla. (2.6 each). Cleveland and Phoenix (2.3 each) rounded out the top five.
An encore presentation of opening round averaged 720,000 in primetime.
[Nielsen estimates from ESPN, ShowBuzz Daily 4.9]
