Golf Channel averaged 1.5 million viewers for its live and replay coverage of Day Two of the Presidents Cup Thursday night, marking the event's most-viewed day ever on cable TV. The net had also previously set the new record with 1.3 million viewers for Day One of the tournament. Golf Channel's combined viewership for the two days was up 123% compared to the '03 event in South Africa, which was the last time the tournament was held outside of North America. With both rounds airing in the evening in the U.S. due to the 16-hour time difference, Golf Channel also earned its most-viewed and second-most viewed nights of primetime ever (Golf Channel). In N.Y., Phil Mushnick wrote Golf Channel's live coverage of the Presidents Cup "has been remarkable for its clear determination to cover the ... matches, as opposed to just Tiger Woods' matches, with a few others thrown in as filler." NBC Golf Producer Tommy Roy "seems to realize that as long as good matches are being played elsewhere on the course, there's no good reason to show golf fans Woods as he walks down a fairway and, in slow-motion, breathes in and then out" (N.Y. POST, 11/20).
BRUTAL ON THE EYES: UFC President Dana White said that while the league's "hardcore fan base" saw Saturday's Dan Henderson-Mauricio "Shogun" Rua fight as "potentially one of the best in mixed martial arts history, the mainstream viewers might have been turned off by the pure brutality of the 25-minute main event." White said, "Those of us who are in this room, and people who have been watching this for a long time, just incredibly appreciate what those two did in there, and you can understand what they went through and what's going on. The rest of the world would go, 'Oh my God. What was that?'" White said that "part of transitioning into mainstream with the network television deal is easing new viewers into the sport" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 11/20).
NEW MAN IN TOWN: New San Diego Union-Tribune Owner Doug Manchester has named John Lynch President & CEO, and Lynch said that he wants the paper "to be pro-business" and for the "sports page to be pro-Chargers stadium." Lynch said that he wants the sports page "to be an advocate for a new football stadium 'and call out those who don’t as obstructionists.' Lynch: “We’d like to be a cheerleader for all that’s good about San Diego. Our motivation, both of us, was to do something good for San Diego” (VOICEOFSANDIEGO.org, 11/17).
