TV Ratings for US Nationals (Down from Last Year) | Golden Skate

TV Ratings for US Nationals (Down from Last Year)

R

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Preliminary numbers for NBC broadcasts were announced in the new Sports Media Watch blog:

Prime time coverage of the Ladies' Free Skate drew a 3.0/5 overnight rating on NBC Saturday night, down 21% from a 3.8 last year. While the 3.0 was off from '08, it still marks the second-highest rating of the weekend for a sporting event on broadcast, behind only a Spurs/Lakers NBA game on ABC.

Ratings also dropped for the Men's Free Skate on Sunday. NBC drew a 2.3/5 overnight for coverage from 4-6 PM on Sunday, down 34% from a 3.5/5 for coverage of the same event last year, when it aired from 7-9 PM.
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http://sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com/2009/01/big-drop-for-us-figure-skating.html
 
I am, too. This blogger predicted a ratings increase in the wake of the upcoming Vancouver Games. But if what happened in Houston is any indication, maybe some other affiliates also preempted the coverage, and every time your affiliates do that you lose potential viewers and you also shrink your audience.
 
in the case of the mens, after what happened last year others may have felt that it wasn't worth it to watch (and how many viewers for Saturdays stuff were really watching for the ladies? I wasn't!)
 
Also keep in mind that NBC's promotional efforts for Nationals were in overdrive last year. This year, they seemed to only promote it during their other skating telecasts. Last year, you saw ads even during their regular TV shows.
 
The event was not well advertised as well. There're much fewer spectators at the Q arena when compared with last year. For TV, I bet many people couldn't stand the commentators' nonsense rumbling and Scott's high pitched voice, they rather turned off the TV.:laugh::rofl:
 
I highly doubt it's the commentators....

the coverage got a lot of ad time the week leading up to nationals - at least according to my mom *shrugs*
 
Tonichelle said:
in the case of the mens, after what happened last year others may have felt that it wasn't worth it to watch (and how many viewers for Saturdays stuff were really watching for the ladies? I wasn't!)
Click to expand...

I think so too. If there were no tie between Evan and Johnny, and Johnny won the Nationals last year - as it should have been, figure skating, at least the men's figure skating, would have been more attractive to the general viewers. The reason is simple. Everyone, almost everyone, thought that Johnny won, he didn't. It raised the question about the judging system and the seriousness of this sport.
 
jennylovskt said:
I think so too. If there were no tie between Evan and Johnny, and Johnny won the Nationals last year - as it should have been, figure skating, at least the men's figure skating, would have been more attractive to the general viewers. The reason is simple. Everyone, almost everyone, thought that Johnny won, he didn't. It raised the question about the judging system and the seriousness of this sport.
Click to expand...

Some of my most diehard skating fan friends have thrown in the towel as of late as a result of judging decisions like the one you state, Kostner gets thrown in a lot too, and more. I used to have a house full to watch these things, now it is down to 2 of us, so many just don't take it seriously anymore.
 
My parents still watch even though my dad isn't a fan of the CoP... the reason he isn't into it is he has no desire to get his head around how it's supposed to work... which I think a lot of diehards that have left teh sport are like that.
 
The promotional advertisements didn't help. You have to give viewers a preview and a reason tune such an " Come see the first american grand prix final champion face off against the reigning US champion." The promotions basiscally stated the event and time. Last year fans could catch some of the grand prix events and have sense of how competitive nationals might be. They had nothing to gear viewers up for nationals this year.
 
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I don't think even WE knew just how exciting this nationals was going to be. It was like Spokane on Steroids.
 
NBC really didn't promote the event, cramed everything into 2 3hr segments, didn't see any dance or pairs. Watched all I could on icenetwork sometimes I think it's more trouble than it's worth. Don't know about anyoen else but mine keep freezing up and had to restart it all the time. :thumbedown:
My cable carrier doesn't have unviersal sports so not sure if it was on there and that's where most watched. (went to local cable office asked if we had the channel and was given the dumb look what's universal sports) grrrr::::
 
"any dance or pairs" we saw the top flight of pairs and dance on Saturday. :confused:
 
Tonichelle said:
"any dance or pairs" we saw the top flight of pairs and dance on Saturday. :confused:
Click to expand...

Looks like several NBC affiliates across the country pre-empted parts of nationals coverage, according to folks on FSU. Not everyone saw everything.
 
I know that some had the pairs preempted... but those are the affiliates' decisions, not NBC.
 
Tonichelle said:
I know that some had the pairs preempted... but those are the affiliates' decisions, not NBC.
Click to expand...

I'm aware of that, Toni.

When I was in Houston we missed out on the Ladies FS but got to see the pairs and dance that afternoon. I know folks in Nashville and parts of Kentucky also had the prime time telecast pre-empted. I think another affiliate (or it could have been the same one) pre-empted the afternoon coverage.

At least here in Baltimore the exhibition Gala is on now, so thank goodness.
 
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