NBC Earns 4.2 Overnight For Federer's Record-Setting Victory

NBC Earns 4.2/12 Overnight Rating For Federer-Roddick Wimbledon Finale

VOICE OF REASON: USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand writes NBC analyst John McEnroe was "laid back enough so that he avoided getting tiresome over the four-hour, 16-minute" Federer-Roddick match. McEnroe "kept from going overboard afterward, joking to the victorious Federer that he should 'throw a bone' to Roddick in some future major" (USA TODAY, 7/6). In Denver, Dusty Saunders writes under the header, "McEnroe's Lack Of Words Refreshing." McEnroe was "appropriately subdued" during the match. He "stayed away from breathless, hyperbolic phrases" and "stuck to the ebb-and-flow action on the court" (DENVER POST, 7/6). In St. Petersburg, Tom Jones wrote McEnroe "again showed why he is among the best commentators on TV," as he "never talks over the audience's head by using technical/inside-tennis speak." A match like Federer-Roddick is "all about emotion and drama, and McEnroe brought that out by talking like the common tennis fan." Meanwhile, McEnroe's interview with Int'l Tennis HOFers Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras was the "best post-match moment" (TAMPABAY.com, 7/5). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jason Gay writes, "We love John McEnroe, but what was with him cornering Messrs. Sampras, Laver and Borg right after the match and asking if Roger was now the greatest player of all time? A news-making question, to be sure, but why must we always rush to contextualize every sports moment within five seconds of it happening?" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/6).

Robinson (l), McEnroe Largely Praised For Broadcast Of Federer-Roddick Match

TALE OF THE TAPE: In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote Wimbledon "might actually attract casual fans," but NBC "won't showcase the event by airing every match it presents live." NBC officials are "terrified at the prospect of a viewer revolt ... if a second of the 'Today' show, or a Saturday cartoon festival, is pre-empted by tennis." If NBC "had confidence in the ratings potential of Wimbledon, all the excuses over why certain matches are televised on a delayed basis, and why certain ones are carried live, would suddenly disappear." NBC going completely live with its coverage "won't ever happen," which is why NBC "should consider getting out of the tennis business." Raissman: "Why bother paying for events like Wimbledon, or the French Open, if there is no inclination to afford them maximum, live, exposure?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/5). Also in N.Y., Richard Sandomir noted ESPN2 Friday, after showing the Federer-Tommy Haas semifinal match live, aired a replay of last year's Rafael Nadal-Federer Wimbledon men's final due to NBC have exclusive rights to the Roddick-Andy Murray semi. The need to "deploy Nadal-Federer for more than an hour says much about the ancient, anti-viewer contracts that divvy matches up between ESPN2 and NBC." ESPN2 "should having been able to start the Andy Murray-Andy Roddick match after Federer-Haas and let NBC pick it up" when its coverage started at 12:00pm ET. But ESPN "had to yield to NBC's dominance." NBC treated the Roddick-Murray match "as if it hadn't started and fans inhabited the same tape-delayed vacuum" that NBC "long ago created for itself." NBC's broadband coverage on wimbledonlive.nbcsports.com also was "not live at all, but a simulcast of the tape-delay" (NYTIMES.com, 7/3). 

NBC Criticized For Not Showing Roddick-Murray Live

MISSING THE MARK: The N.Y. POST's Mushnick writes Wimbledon "remains a cruel tape-delayed joke ... in NBC's hands" (N.Y. POST, 7/6). SI.com's Kevin Armstrong wrote NBC "continues to show it's behind the times on Slam broadcasts." The '79 Bjorn Borg-Roscoe Tanner men's final was the "first Wimbledon final to air live; but 30 years later, NBC stands firm on its decision to run lead-up matches on tape delay" instead of pre-empting "Today" (SI.com, 7/4). SI.com's Wertheim noted NBC's tape delays "generated immense ill will (and bad press) for the network." Wertheim: "If you really would rather air Rachel Ray reruns than broadcast live tennis, why even bid on it?" But Wertheim added, "Name me another sporting event with an unsure starting time." Sources indicated that if Wimbledon officials "would say 'match X will begin at time Y,' NBC would consider live coverage" (SI.com, 7/5). The GLOBE & MAIL's Bruce Dowbiggin writes Wimbledon was a "double fault for viewers and fans ... outside Federer's epic record win yesterday" (GLOBE & MAIL, 7/6). 

NBC Forces Roddick's Quarterfinal Match To Be Blacked Out On West Coast

AROUND THE DIAL: SI.com's Wertheim noted "no one got more air time on the BBC last week than Tracy Austin," who has a "nice mix of knowledge and unvarnished, tell-it-like-it-is commentary." Wertheim: "Which network will step up and hire her for the U.S. Open? And while we're at it, who's going to hire [BBC commentator] Jeff Tarango to do his wacky podcast?" Meanwhile, Tennis Channel "continues to get better with each event," and "look for Jimmy Connors to join the team for the U.S. Open coverage" (SI.com, 7/5).

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