Final Four Will Be In 3D
Get Your Eyes Ready
CBS announced that it will produce 3D coverage of the Final Four of NCAA men’s college basketball tournament that will be carried in more than 100 theaters.
Sean McManus, who oversees the network’s sports and news divisions, says the 3D coverage will be a “separate production” from the regular TV coverage.
McManus says CBS first 3D coverage, which will be distributed to movie theaters by Cinedigm Digital Cinema, will be “more of an experiment than anything else” and is the “only” sports event that CBS now has definite plans to cover in 3D.
Fox has produced a 3D BCS game that was carried in theaters and plans to cover this season’s MLB All-Star Game in 3D in coverage that will be carried by DirecTV.
ESPN produced an Ohio State-USC game in 3D last season that was available to the public in a handful of theaters and plans to launch a 3D channel in June in time for the World Cup.
Brian Cushing Trains With Chuck Liddell
ALL-SGE-NFL
The NFL’s Rookie Defensive Player of The Year Houston Texans Brian Cushing is breaking up the monogamy of training by spending the off-season with Mixed Martial Arts fighter Chuck Liddell.
Cushing already ALL-SGE-NFL is driven to improve on a season in which he the NFL took notice of his talents has been a regular with Liddell and FOX’s Jay Glazer in the training sessions since the regular season ended. The training last for about 90 minutes and helping him get the most out of his talents like the grappling aspect of the sport.
No word though if Cushing likes to work out naked.
MLB Network Teams Up With Fox Business While Victor Rojas Leaves
All Day, Every Day
MLB Network announced a partnership with a cable competitor and on the same day the network lost one of its studio hosts.
MLB Network studio host Victor Rojas is leaving the network for a position as play-by-play voice of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim after the untimely death of Rory Markas. Rojas a favorite of mine behind Matt Vasgersian and Joe Magrane, had been with MLB Network since its debut said in a statement that he is “extremely grateful to MLB Network for not only taking a chance on me, but also for allowing me to pursue this opportunity.” Rojas: “I feel like I’m leaving as a better person and broadcaster.”
MLB Network also announced that they have teamed up with Fox Business Network in a partnership which the two networks will share on-air updates.
The Fox Business morning show will feature previews of MLB Network’s 30 Clubs in 30 Days. Meanwhile, MLB Network will air an FBN Market Update during Spring Training telecasts and the MLB Tonight studio show.
The NFL Pro Bowl To Played Before Super Bowl Again
Est. 1920
The 2011 Pro Bowl will be played a week before Super Bowl XLV and return to Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, the NFL announced. The game will be televised live on Sunday, January 30 on FOX at 6 p.m. CST.
FOX will televise Super Bowl XLV a week later on Sunday, Febuary 6 from Cowboys Stadium in North Texas.
The decision to play the NFL’s All-Star Game the week before the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year follows an increase in viewership for the 2010 Pro Bowl which was watched by an average of 12.3 million viewers on ESPN, the most for a Pro Bowl since 2000.
The game at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida also attracted the largest Pro Bowl attendance (70,697) in 50 years but still decided to move it back to Hawaii. It will be played in Hawaii for the next two years.
Tiger Woods Statement Draws 1.7 & 2.1 Milli On ESPN & FOX
"For all that I have done, I am so sorry."
Tiger Woods’ public statement, his first since allegations of marital infidelity surfaced last year, drew 1.7 million viewers on ESPN Friday morning about 4 times the average viewership for the 10 AM SportsCenter during the previous week.
ESPN was not the only beneficiary. The Golf Channel attracted 745,000 viewers for its coverage from 10-10:20 AM, and 521,000 viewers for its complete 90-minute Special Report.
Friday’s Special Report gave The Golf Channel its second-highest rating of the year, and its best non-tournament rating since August of last year.
Elsewhere, Woods’ statement drew 2.1 million viewers on FOX News Channel and 833,000 on CNN. Numbers for MSNBC were not available.
Super Bowl XLIV Most Watched TV Event EVER With 106.5 Milli
Surpasses "Goodbye & Amen" Episode
For 27 years M*A*S*H finale was the most watched TV event until last nights Super Bowl XLVI dethroned it. The previous record was of 106.0 million for the finale in 1983.
The Saints 31-17 win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV drew a 45.0 national rating and 106.5 million viewers on CBS Sunday night, up 7% in ratings and 8% in viewership from Pittsburgh Steelers/Arizona Cardinals on NBC last year (42.0, 98.7 mil), and up 4% and 9%, respectively, from New York Giants/New England Patriots on FOX in ‘08 (43.1, 97.4 mil).
Additionally, the 45.0 rating is the highest for any television program since Dallas Cowboys/Pittsburgh Steelers drew a 46.0 in 1996.
To put the numbers in perspective, the Super Bowl drew over 70 million more viewers than the top non-NFL sporting event of the past 12 months — the Texas/Alabama BCS National Championship Game (30.8 mil).
This is the third-straight year the Super Bowl has drawn record viewership, and the fifth-straight year that viewership for the game has increased. Just five years ago, Super Bowl XXXIX drew only 86.1 million viewers on FOX. From 1999-05, the Super Bowl drew less than 90 million viewers each year.
The record for the Super Bowl is the capper to a highly successful season for the NFL. The regular season was the most-viewed since 1990 (16.6 mil), the Wild Card round was the most-viewed since ‘95 (29.9 mil), the Divisional Round was the most-viewed since ‘94 (33.0 mil), and the Conference Championship games were the most-viewed since ‘82 (52.9 mil).
Terrell Owens To Be A Cincinnati Bengal?
Jerry Rice Huh?
According to Chad Ochocinco who shared the information with FOX’s Jay Glazer down in Miami says that Terrell Owens will be lining up with him next year.
From Glazer’s Twitter page: “chad ochocinco just told me on The Jay Glazer Pre-Party on FSN that he thinks T.O. will be a Bengal next year. he said he’s sure of it”
Owens is an unrestricted free agent and after spending one aggravating year in Buffalo, the chances of him re-signing with the Bills are almost non existent.
Finding a replacement for Chris Henry after his tragic death this seems on paper a good fit but at 36 years old, Owens isn’t the play maker he once was. But how would Owens feel like working with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer since obviously he’s no Joe Montana?
HUGE TV Numbers For AFC & NFC Championship Games
Est. 1920
The NFC Championship game on FOX was of blockbuster magnitude as the New Orleans Saints thrilling overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings drew a 33.3 overnight and approximately 57.9 million viewers, which would be the second best NFC Championship average viewership of all time, behind only 1982’s Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers (“The Catch”) matchup that produced a 68.7 million viewers.
The NFC Championship game on FOX Sunday night was well above last years Arizona Cardinals/Philadelphia Eagles game which only produced 38.4 million viewers and it 33 o.3 overnight is up 5% from New York Giants/Green Bay Packers on FOX in 2008 (31.7) and . Ratings peaked at a 39.4 from 10:00-10:30 PM.
The Vikings/Saints is the most-viewed television program of any kind, excluding Super Bowls, since the series finale of Seinfeld in 1998 which saw 76.3 million.
The game did not dominate in all markets though, in Buffalo the NFC Championship game was actually outdrawn head-to-head by Extreme Makeover Home Edition on ABC, with Extreme Makeover drawing a 35.8 and the game drawing a 32.1.
CBS on the other hand did not post as great as number compared to FOX however did draw the highest overnight rating for the AFC Championship game in 16 years and saw 46.9 million actual viewers.
The Indianapolis Colts come from behind win over the New York Jets drew a stellar 28.4 overnight rating on Sunday afternoon, up 4% from San Diego Chargers/New England Patriots on CBS in 2008 (27.4).
The 28.4 overnight is the highest for the AFC Championship Game since Buffalo Bills/Kansas City Chiefs in 1994 (29.5) on NBC. Additionally, the 28.4 is the highest overnight for any NFL telecast on CBS, excluding Super Bowls, since the network resumed airing NFL telecasts in 1998. Ratings peaked at a 32.0 from 5:30-6 PM.
Deuce McAllister Retires From National Football League
It Was Fun
It was fun while it lasted, you know all those FOX camera shots of New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister sitting on the bench in street clothes talking to quarterback Drew Brees after the 236 touchdowns they scored against the Arizona Cardinals, because he has decided to announce his retirement after 8 seasons in the NFL.
Robert Meachem was shaken up against the Cardinals, so the team is expected to sign a wide receiver and in need of a roster spot McAllister is expected to file the paper work. McAllister was released by the Saints last February the two reconstructive knee surgeries in 2007.
Though he only played 8 seasons, two of which were marred by injury, McAllister is the Saints all-time rushing and touchdown leader at 6,056 yards and his 55 total touchdowns and 49 rushing TDs also are club records.
The two-time Pro Bowler was named honorary captain for the Saints Divisional playoff game against the Cardinals last week, but has since been officially been added to the team’s reserve-retired list.
NFL Games Have Only 11 Minutes Of Action
10 Minutes & 43 Seconds
This information is nothing new to myself as my junior college offensive line coach used to preach to us all the time that that their was only 9 minutes of actually football being played, however, when you try telling someone who has never played the game of football before they really don’t grasp the fact or don’t care that coach Tabolla is your source.
Turns out I now can add another source for such information and it’s The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper did a study that in an NFL telecast that averages 2 hours and 54 minutes, viewers will watch roughly 11 minutes (10 minutes and 43 seconds) of actual live game action.
The Wall Street Journal broke down the broadcast as including 75 minutes of players standing around on the field in either huddles or at the line of scrimmage.
An hour is made of commercial breaks and replays account for 17 minutes, which is more than the plays themselves.
A few other noteworthy tidbits that came out of the Wall Street Jornals report was that ESPN shows the most replays out of all the stations to broadcast the NFL and FOX shows the fewest replays and most shots of the sidelines.
BCS National Championship Game Draws 30 Milli Viewers
Like Rudy J Said *Asterisk*
For the second straight year, overnight ratings increased for college football’s national championship game.
Alabama’s win over Texas in the BCS National Championship Game drew an 17.2 overnight rating and 30.8 million viewerson ABC Thursday night, up 7% from a 17.0 for Florida/Oklahoma last year, and up 17% from a 15.6 for LSU/Ohio St. in ‘08 both of which aired on FOX.
The 17.2 overnight is the highest for the BCS National Championship Game since the Florida/Ohio St. BCS title game drew a 19.1 in ‘07. The 30.8 million viewers is the most for a college football game since the 2006 title game between Texas and USC (35.6 mil), and the second-most ever for the a national championship game in the BCS era.
Additionally, the 17.2 is the highest overnight rating for any sporting event on ABC since Super Bowl XL in 2006. As well the 30.8 million viewers tops every single regular season NFL game during the 2009-10 season including Brett Favre’s return to Lambeau Field 29.8 million.
To put the numbers in perspective, the 17.2 overnight tops every Major League Baseball game since 2006, every NBA game since 1996 and every college basketball game since at least ‘94.
The game gave ABC its highest rated Thursday night since 1995.
Locally, the game drew a 67.4 rating in Birmingham, AL, and a 47.8 in Austin, TX. Elsewhere, the game drew a 37.2 in San Antonio, a 33.4 in Nashville, a 31.3 in Dallas, and a 29.9 in Atlanta.
Cowboys vs Giants Is Highest Rated FOX Game Of The Year
Est. 1920
The New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys combined to draw massive numbers for the second time this season.
The Cowboys/Giants game drew an 18.9/35 overnight rating on FOX. The 18.9 overnight is the highest of the season for an NFL telecast on any network, topping the previous high of 18.3 for the Week 8 Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers game on NBC for the Sunday Night Football.
The Cowboys have been involved in four of the top games of the season, including their earlier meeting with the Giants, which aired on NBC.
Sunday’s telecast drew the highest overnight for a regular season NFL telecast on a single network since New England Patriots/Indianapolis Colts in 2007 (22.5), and the highest for an NFL telecast on FOX since Giants/Cowboys in 2006 (19.1).
FOX, CBS & NFL Network Give Thanks For The NFL
Est. 1920
I don’t know why the ratings for Thanksgiving to forever to get in but they finally are here and once again the Dallas Cowboys draw in the large numbers.
Overnight ratings were up double-digits for both Thanksgiving Day NFL games.
Thursday’s Green Bay Packers/Detroit Lions game on FOX drew a 12.1 overnight rating, up 11% from Tennessee Titans/Detroit Lions on CBS last year (10.9). They are however down 13% from the Green Bay Packers/Detroit Lions in 2007 (13.9).
The 12.1 overnight is tied as the second-lowest for the early Thanksgiving Day game since ‘01.
Later in the day, Oakland Raiders/Dallas Cowboys drew a 12.6 overnight on CBS, up 11% from Seattle Seahawks/Dallas Cowboys on FOX last year (11.4), and up 2% from New York Jets/Dallas Cowboys in 2007 (12.4).
The 12.6 is the third-highest overnight for the late Thanksgiving Day game since ‘01.
The NFL Network saw it’s second-most viewed game in it’s history with the New York Giants/Denver Broncos.
The New York Giants/Denver Broncos drew 6.1 million viewers on NFL Network Thursday night, up 61% from 3.8 million for Arizona Cardinals/Philadelphia Eagles last year.
Thursday’s game ranks as the second-most viewed NFL telecast ever on NFL Network, behind only Green Bay Packers/Dallas Cowboys in 2007 (10.1 mil).
In related ratings news the SportsBusiness Journal shows the Cowboys have been the NFL’s biggest draw in primetime over the past four seasons.
Since 2006, primetime regular season Cowboys games have averaged 19.2 million viewers putting the team comfortably ahead of the second-place Colts (16.7 mil) and the Giants (16.6 mil). The Bears (16.3 mil), Patriots (16.0 mil) and Eagles (16.0 mil) round out the top 6.
The 49ers averaged the fewest viewers of any NFL team with more than 1 primetime appearance, with just 9.9 million.
22.3 Million Watch Game 6 Of The World Series
105th
For all those people that say ignorant things like no one watched the World Series, obviously live in under a rock and are not in tune with the rest of the 22.3 million who did so just for game 6.
The New York Yankees’ World Series-clinching victory over the Philadelphia Phillies drew a massive 15.5 overnight rating on Fox Wednesday night, which contributed to lower-than-usual scores for shows on competing networks. The Fall Classic on Fox also averaged a 7.4 rating/21 share in adults 18-49. And overall, this year’s World Series averaged a 6.2 rating in adults 18-49 and 19.4 million viewers overall.
Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: Fox, 7.4/21; CBS, 2.7/7; ABC, 2.1/6; Univision, 1.4/4; CW, 1.2/3.
In total viewers: Fox, 22.3 million; CBS, 10.2 million; NBC, 6.4 million; ABC, 6.0 million; Univision, 3.3 million; CW, 2.7 million.
Additionally, the 15.5 overnight is the third-highest of 2009 for any non-NFL sporting event, behind only the BCS National Championship Game in January (17.0), and Game 4 of Yankees/Phillies on Sunday (15.6).
MNF Hit 2nd Lowest Ratings Opposite World Series
Est. 1920
Monday Night Football drew its second-lowest numbers of the season opposite game 5 of the World Series.
Monday’s Atlanta Falcons vs New Orleans Saints game drew 12.4 million viewers on ESPN opposite the 17.1 million on FOX.
This marks the second-lowest rated and second-least viewed Monday night telecast of the season, ahead of only a 7.6 and 11.9 million viewers for San Diego Chargers vs Oakland Raiders in Week 1 — was the second game of a doubleheader.
Through Week 8, ESPN is averaging a 9.0 U.S. rating and 14.4 million viewers for Monday Night Football, up 17% in ratings and 18% in viewership from last year.
Game 5 Of World Series Draws 17.1 Million Viewers
105th
After Game 4 topped 20 million viewers, Game 5 of the 2009 World Series fell back towards earth on Monday night with 17.1 million viewers on FOX.
While the numbers may not be spectacular historically, Game 5 still put up a strong performance. The game topped Monday Night Football on ESPN head-to-head by 38% in both ratings and viewership (10.6 and 17.1 million to 7.7 and 12.4 million).
Additionally, the 17.1 million viewers still topped events such as the race segment of the Kentucky Derby (16.3 mil), the Daytona 500 (16.0 mil), and the most-viewed game of the NBA Finals (16.0 mil).
Game 4 Of The World Series Draws In 22.8 Million Viewers
105th
Game 3 of the World Series was on no ordinary night, it went toe to toe with a couple of Primetime College Football games, Halloween night and over a hour long rain delay that saw its numbers in viewers plunge to a series low 15.4 million on FOX on Saturday night.
Game 4 saw a huge rebound in viewers with no NFL Sunday Night Football to choose from, drew in a strong 22.8 million viewers overall. Meaning the Yankees Game 4 win over the Phillies drew a 15.6 overnight rating, the highest overnight for any World Series game since 2004 (Red Sox/Cardinals, 19.7/29).
The 15.6 overnight for Game 4 is the fourth-highest overnight for any sporting event since the Super Bowl in February and that includes regular season NFL games. Excluding the NFL, Sunday’s Game 4 drew the second-highest overnight for any sporting event in 2009 behind only the BCS National Championship Game in January (17.0/27).
Favre’s Homecoming Draws In High Numbers, But Not Huge
Take That Ted
Brett Favre’s homecoming drew big ratings on Sunday, but perhaps not quite as high as expected.
NFL coverage featuring the Vikings’ win over the Packers drew an 18.3 overnight rating on FOX, it doesn’t set any ratings records for the heavily hyped game. In 2007 alone, three regular season games drew an 18.4 overnight or higher and that does not include the Patriots/Giants game in Week 17 of that season, which aired on three separate networks. In 2006, a Giants/Cowboys game on FOX drew a 19.1 overnight rating.
In Minneapolis/St. Paul, the Vikings’ win drew a 47.0/76 rating. Meaning 76% of local households with televisions in use were tuned to the game, while (45.0/70) 70% in Milwaukee.
Game 2 Of World Series Sees Drop In Viewers To 18.9 Million
105th
The Yankees’ Game 2 win over the Phillies drew a 13.6 overnight rating on FOX. 18.9 million viewers for the Phillies/Yankees Game 2 helped FOX to the highest rated Thursday night in primetime on any network since the BCS National Championship Game in January.
The 18.9 million viewers is the fourth-most of the year for a non-NFL sporting event, behind only the BCS National Championship Game, the Rose Bowl and Wednesday’s Phillies/Yankees Game 1.
Game 2 drew a 42.5 rating in Philadelphia, off slightly from a 44.5 for Game 1, meanwhile, the game drew a 29.8 in New York, up a tick from a 29.7 for Game 1.
Through two games, the 2009 World Series is averaging a 13.7 overnight rating, the highest average through two games of the World Series since ‘04.
HIP HOP HAS COME A LONG WAY
Jay-Z is the 1st hip-hop artist to perform at Yankee Stadium (new or old).
“I think it’s special for all of New York,” Yankees captain Derek Jeter, who also uses the track as his at-bat music, said, according to MLB.com. “I think it almost seems like it’s the anthem for New York right now,” Jeter added. “I got an opportunity to get to know Jay-Z throughout the years and he’s very, very talented doing a lot of things. But he knows what he’s doing, so I think New York has kind of embraced that song.”
In a statement, Jay added that performing this track at Yankee Stadium was important for him.
“As a die-hard Yankees fan, I’m honored to perform a song that celebrates the greatness of New York in one of our city’s most important landmarks, Yankee Stadium,” he noted.
Game 1 Of The World Series Attracts 19.5 Million
105th
Fox was as dominant as the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night. Fox easily took home the ratings race with its coverage of game one of the World Series
According to early time zone-adjusted Nielsens, the game drew a 6.3 rating in the 18-49 demo, with 19.5 million viewers watching — the highest game 1 total in five years. A share had yet to be determined.
Jay-Z To Perform “Empire State Of Mind” Prior To World Series Game
What An Honor
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys will perform their hit single “Empire State of Mind,” from Jay-Z’s album The Blueprint 3, on the field at Yankee Stadium prior to Game One of the 2009 World Series on Wednesday, October 28. Following their joint performance, Keys will sing the national anthem.
Both performances will air on FOX, which begins its World Series coverage of the New York Yankees against the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies at 6:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.
“Thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee,” As a die-hard Yankee fan, I’m honored to perform a song that celebrates the greatness of New York in one of our city’s most important landmarks, Yankee Stadium,” said Jay-Z.
The Yankees have been blasting Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” during their playoff run.
At Least For One Night MLB Was A Winner
Est. 1869
The ratings are in and for one night at least Major League Baseball beat out the National Football League in a head to head ratings show down.
The New York Yankees’ series clinching win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim drew an 11.4 overnight on FOX, while Sunday’s Arizona Cardinals versus the New York Giants game drew a 10.4 overnight rating on NBC. The 10.4 is a season-low for Sunday Night Football.
The 11.4 overnight for Angels/Yankees Game 6 is the highest for any non-NFL sporting event since the North Carolina/Michigan State NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game (11.9). To put the numbers in perspective the highest overnight for the NBA Finals in June was a 10.9 (Game 4).
The Yankees clincher drew a 26.9, dwarfing a 9.3 for Cardinals/Giants in the New York market.
Ratings for the 2009 MLB postseason are up 15 percent compared to last year.
As an MLB fan it feels great that at least for one night it slayed Goliath head to head nationally and smashed it into the ground within the same market.
Ozzie Guillen To Work World Series For FOX
Please Say What We All Are Thinking
FOX has added one of the most colorful personalities in baseball to its World Series studio team.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen will join FOX as a guest analyst for the network’s pre-and-postgame coverage of the upcoming World Series. Guillen will join FOX host Chris Rose and analysts Eric Karros and Mark Grace. In addition to his work for FOX, Guillen will also “file reports for Fox Sports Espanol.”
It great to hear the Ozzie will be on TV, its just a shame that it’s on the pre-game and post game. He may not want to or studio heads may be a little afraid with it being live but that guy needs to be in the booth. Aww could you just imagine what he might have said if he witnessed those blown calls in game 4 of the Yankees-Angels game. Only one can imagine.
