Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Masters Ratings/Viewers Up, But Not a Record

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.

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