U.S. Open Ratings Down Despite Mickelson In Contention

NBC’s Ratings For U.S. Open Final Round Down 12%

NBC’s final-round coverage of the 106th U.S. Open, which saw Geoff Ogilvy win his first major after Phil Mickelson’s double-bogey on the 18th hole, earned a 5.1/12 overnight Nielsen rating yesterday, down 12.1% from a 5.8/14 for last year’s final-round showdown between Michael Campbell and Tiger Woods. Saturday’s third-round coverage earned a 3.2/8 overnight, down 27.3% from a 4.4/12 last year. Thursday’s first-round coverage was down 4.5% from a 2.2/6 last year, while Friday’s second-round coverage was down 21.4% from a 2.8/8 in ’05. (THE DAILY).

MILLER RECEIVES RAVES AGAIN: In Houston, David Barron writes under the header, “NBC Crew Stays Away From Obvious At Open,” noting that Johnny Miller “made it through ... Sunday without using the ‘c’ word” –- choke. With Mickelson losing the tournament on the 18th, NBC’s crew “measured their words carefully.” Roger Maltbie “sounded as if he was about to break into tears at the weirdness of it all.” Barron notes NBC’s 6 1/2-hour broadcast “was probably too much for most viewers to endure without a nap.” The net aired just 47 shots during the opening 90 minutes of the broadcast and only 40 shots from 2:00pm-3:00pm ET. NBC, though, “poured it on from there, airing 80 shots in an hour” after Mickelson teed off at 3:00pm (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 6/19). In Toronto, Chris Zelkovich writes, “Thanks mainly to analyst Johnny Miller baring his fangs on the final few holes, NBC did manage to recover from engaging in the kind of worship normally reserved for Tiger Woods.” All but one of Mickelson’s shots were shown live (TORONTO STAR, 6/19). USA TODAY’s Michael Hiestand writes Miller “is one of the best TV sports analysts in part because he’s not a salesman, or apologist, for the action he covers.” Miller yesterday said he could not “say anybody has played a great U.S. Open ... the course has held everybody down.” However, NBC “could have used more replays of Mickelson’s wild finish –-it didn’t show a timely replay of his drive at 17 that went into a garbage can” (USA TODAY, 6/19).

FADE AT THE FINISH: In N.Y., Andrew Marchand writes NBC “didn’t collapse like Mickelson, but it didn’t finish strong either,” as the net “apparently lost” his second shot on the 18th hole yesterday that hit a tree. After Mickelson swung, Maltbie said, “Oh, no, it has caught an elm tree solid and I believe it is going backwards.” Marchand notes Mickelson then “just showed up next to his ball. Nobody really knew how he or the ball got there.” Before the finish, though, the net’s coverage “was cruising” (N.Y. POST, 6/19).