According to Neilsen Media Research numbers from CBS Sports, an estimated 46.5 million viewers watched all or part of weekend coverage of The Masters.
Third- and fourth-round coverage of the tournament was the most watched in nine years, when 47.9 million viewers watched Tiger Woods win in 2001. This year's numbers were up 11 percent from last year, when 46.5 million people watched the final two rounds of the event -- which included a two-hole playoff before Angel Cabrera won over Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell.
Numbers for this year were up in large part because of the presence/return to competition of Woods and the storyline involving champion Phil Mickelson.
Still, Woods' first championship at The Masters, in 1997, remains the highest-rated golf tournament ever. Back then, 32 percent of all TVs in the United States were tuned into the action during the final round. This year's final round attracted 24 percent.
On ESPN, the first and second rounds last week (Thursday and Friday) averaged 4.3 million viewers to become the most-viewed two-round golf telecasts in cable history.
Showing posts with label Tiger Woods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tiger Woods. Show all posts
A, B, C ... Woods for Hype at Masters
It's subtle, but it's wrong -- and it's another a part of the unnecessary hype for The Masters by CBS Sports and ESPN.
As the first major of the year, and as a result of the loving treatment the golf tournament has always earned from its broadcast partners, The Masters has an unrivaled role as the best and most well-known tournament on U.S. soil -- and possibly the world.
Even casual fans know the characters and storylines, especially this year with Tiger Woods returning to competition.
Sometimes the hype by CBS Sports and ESPN goes beyond reason, though, and the nontraditional and unethical and use of on-screen graphics showing the leaders provides a tangible example.
In any sport's standings, whether it's golf or a team sport, individuals or teams with idential records are typically listed alphabetically. So, if four golfers were minus-4 at a tournament, they would be listed in order by their last names -- Bronson, Mulder, Parker and Smith, for example.
At The Masters, Woods always comes first when he's tied with other golfers. It happens with live coverage from CBS Sports and on "SportsCenter" segments or updates on ESPN.
It's a subtle move that puts Woods higher on the leaderboard. Logically, the TV types could argue that the lists are accurate becuase all players tied have the same score, but it's most striking when Woods is one of three golfers standing on a number. He's then listed first, followed by two golfers listed in alphabetical order.
In fairness, almost every broadcast entity follows the "Woods Alphabet" when the world's best golfer is involved and they're covering an event. It's all about the hype, pushing the sport's most TV-friendly name to the top of the leaderboard whenever possible. That's just it, though, it's hype ... pushing ... and it's wrong -- because it shows the broadcasters obvious bias.
As the first major of the year, and as a result of the loving treatment the golf tournament has always earned from its broadcast partners, The Masters has an unrivaled role as the best and most well-known tournament on U.S. soil -- and possibly the world.
Even casual fans know the characters and storylines, especially this year with Tiger Woods returning to competition.
Sometimes the hype by CBS Sports and ESPN goes beyond reason, though, and the nontraditional and unethical and use of on-screen graphics showing the leaders provides a tangible example.
In any sport's standings, whether it's golf or a team sport, individuals or teams with idential records are typically listed alphabetically. So, if four golfers were minus-4 at a tournament, they would be listed in order by their last names -- Bronson, Mulder, Parker and Smith, for example.
At The Masters, Woods always comes first when he's tied with other golfers. It happens with live coverage from CBS Sports and on "SportsCenter" segments or updates on ESPN.
It's a subtle move that puts Woods higher on the leaderboard. Logically, the TV types could argue that the lists are accurate becuase all players tied have the same score, but it's most striking when Woods is one of three golfers standing on a number. He's then listed first, followed by two golfers listed in alphabetical order.
In fairness, almost every broadcast entity follows the "Woods Alphabet" when the world's best golfer is involved and they're covering an event. It's all about the hype, pushing the sport's most TV-friendly name to the top of the leaderboard whenever possible. That's just it, though, it's hype ... pushing ... and it's wrong -- because it shows the broadcasters obvious bias.
Nike's Support of Woods Complete, Well-Timed
Athletic apparel and shoe giant Nike has stood by Tiger Woods throughout his public humiliation and the aftermath, and a well-timed commercial Friday added another subtle example of the company's clear-cut support.
At the first commercial break during "SportsCenter" -- just after Woods' public apology had again been shown in its entirety -- one of Nike's latest ads, "Human Chain," aired.
The ad features a message about getting up after falling down.
Woods is never referenced or shown in the ad, but it provided a strikingly effective message about Nike's support for Woods (whether planned or not) when ESPN viewers caught it after the opening segment of "SportsCenter" at midday, just an hour or so after the live statement by the world's No. 1 golfer.
At the first commercial break during "SportsCenter" -- just after Woods' public apology had again been shown in its entirety -- one of Nike's latest ads, "Human Chain," aired.
The ad features a message about getting up after falling down.
Woods is never referenced or shown in the ad, but it provided a strikingly effective message about Nike's support for Woods (whether planned or not) when ESPN viewers caught it after the opening segment of "SportsCenter" at midday, just an hour or so after the live statement by the world's No. 1 golfer.
Cut-Out Camera Impacts Tiger Telling His Tale
While people debate the effectiveness of Tiger Wood's public statement Friday, there's no debating technology impacted the message.Specifically, when the feed from the lone camera in the back of the room at TPC Sawgrass died, the final few moments of the nearly 14-minute talk by Woods lost a little something -- another chance for Woods to look directly into the camera, straight at fans, and offer his apology and request for eventual support.
Early on the talk, Woods looked straight at the camera to make firm points, especially about his family. The practiced and fairly well-executed talk seemed to come off well as Woods used the main camera in the back of the room as a partner when appropriate.
Throughout the first part of his talk, the only time the camera from the side of the room, which showed Woods on the right behind a small podium with family and friends in the first row of seats to the left, was used was to show his mother's reactions to what he said. (She was tough to read, too.)
Without the main camera for the final few minutes, Woods did not get to look directly at viewers -- and there were multiple millions of them because and every network and cable news outlet, as well as online sources, carried the event. He had that opportunity early in the talk and did fairly well, though, and it's really the message that matters more than the medium.
Still, it will be interesting to follow the feedback and responses and see if the way it was delivered, with an unplanned camera angle, had a lasting impact.
Abundant Coverate Planned of Tiger's Talk
Anyone who does not care about what Tiger Woods has to say Friday, when he makes a statement at 11 a.m. at the TPC Sawgrass, might have a difficult time avoiding the topic.Had Woods picked prime time for his announcement instead of late morning on the East Coast, the event might have attracted more interest than the State of the Union Address. It still might.
ESPN plans live coverage on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Radio and its ESPN website. Several other cable TV networks plan to carry the statement live, and hulu.com provides another online option.
In the less than 24 hours since the event was announced, sports talk radio has driven the story with expectations and speculation. At the same time, media members have mostly railed against the format of the event -- a controlled media session without questions. Expect both of those things to continue in the aftermath.
No matter what, though, expect almost everyone to know what happens and what Tiger said, because there will be almost no way to avoid it.
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