With "back-to-back" coverage of this weekend's British
Open and U.S. Women's Open, ESPN will "resemble The Golf
Channel for the better part of Thursday and Friday,"
according to Prentis Rogers of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION.
Originally, ESPN planned to start its live, five-hour
coverage of the British Open at 9:00am ET Thursday. But
upon learning the tee times of Tiger Woods and Jack
Nicklaus, ESPN decided Tuesday to add another hour and will
begin tomorrow's telecast at 8:00am ET. Following that six-
hour telecast will be live, four-hour coverage of the U.S.
Women's Open. Rogers writes that "even the most ardent golf
fans will have a tough time sitting through 10 straight
hours of coverage, which likely means ratings for the
women's major will stumble and fall this year." ESPN Dir of
Communications Mike Soltys: "What we're looking at is the
great opportunity presented by the British Open to promote
the women's telecast. We hope people tuning in to see that
will have their interest further piqued for the Women's
Open." Rogers: "File such hopes into the wishful thinking
folder" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 7/19). The DAILY SOUTHTOWN's
Tim Cronin notes that NBC will televise the final round of
the Women's Open following ABC's conclusion of the British
Open on Sunday. Cronin: "How many British Open viewers
switch to the Women's Open is the big question, but the
ratings should be better than last year's Women's Open,
which went head-to-head with Tiger Woods winning the
Memorial" (DAILY SOUTHTOWN, 7/19). N.Y. Times Sports Editor
Neil Amdur "expects" U.S. Women's Open stories to be
"shunted to the background" up against the British Open.
Amdur: "Lots of times (the final round of) the (Women's)
Open leads our sports section on Monday. But this is an
extremely busy sports weekend. I think going up against the
British Open was a mistake" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/18). But
LPGA Tour Commissioner Ty Votaw said of the scheduling
against the men's major, "There are negatives, but there are
positives to be pointed out, too. Certainly, having the
golf audience to ourselves will hopefully generate one of
the largest TV audiences we've ever had" (AP, 7/19).
HOPING TO PAK THEM IN: In Chicago, Ed Sherman previews
the U.S. Women's Open and notes the contingent of ten South
Koreans participating in the event. Tournament organizers
took out ads in local Korean newspapers for the event,
"anticipating" Chicago's "large Korean community will come
out to support" the players (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/19).