In the first test of how last year’s months-delayed sporting events will fare in their return to some semblance of normal, Masters Sunday bounced back in the ratings — somewhat.
Sunday’s final round of the Masters averaged a 5.5 rating and 9.45 million viewers on CBS, up 62% in ratings and 69% in viewership from last year, when the tournament set all-time lows airing seven months later than scheduled in November (3.4, 5.59M), but down 20% and 13% respectively from the previous April edition in 2019, won by Tiger Woods (6.9, 10.81M).
Keep in mind that both last year and in 2019, the final round aired earlier than usual, starting in the morning and concluding by mid-afternoon. Sunday marked the first time in three years that the final round aired in its traditional timeslot of 2-7 PM ET. Compared to that 2018 telecast, ratings fell 30% (from 7.9) and viewership 27% (from 13.03M).
Overall, Hideki Matsuyama’s win tops only last year as the lowest rated Sunday at Augusta since 1957 (3.0) and — per Sports Business Journal’s Austin Karp — the least-watched since 1993 (9.41M).
While the Masters was able to return to its normal date and time, caveats still abound. Woods missed the tournament for the first time since 2017, when final round coverage was not dramatically higher at a 6.8 and 11.05 million. It was the second Masters in just five months. Finally, while patrons were allowed to attend, the atmosphere was still not at the level of a usual Masters.
Third round action on Saturday averaged a 3.1 and 5.18 million — up just 2% in ratings and 4% in viewership from last year in November (3.1, 4.99M) but down 44% and 40% respectively from the Tiger-fueled numbers in 2019 (5.5, 8.62M).
ESPN’s second round coverage pulled a 1.7 and 2.69 million, down 6% and 2% respectively from last year (1.8, 2.74M) — the only round of this year’s tournament to decline. It was the least-watched second round of the tournament since 2017 (2.60M). Thursday’s coverage, as previously reported, was up slightly to a 1.5 and 2.30 million.
If historically low, the final round of this year’s Masters still ranks as the sixth-most watched non-football sporting event since the wave of cancellations and postponements that devastated the industry last year. Only three games of last year’s baseball playoffs and two games of this month’s NCAA men’s Final Four rank higher.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 4.13, ESPN, Austin Karp/Twitter 4.13]
