Menu
Download the app

SBJ subscribers – Enhance your experience with the revamped iOS app

Media

Augusta National Weighed Input From CBS Before Moving Tee Times

The decision ultimately was made to begin play at 7:30am, with CBS' coverage starting at 9:00amgetty images

Augusta National made a TV-friendly decision to move up Sunday's tee times to avoid expected afternoon storms, taking input from many of its partners and arriving at a decision on its own. CBS was scheduled to begin its live coverage at 2:00pm ET, but CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus and President David Berson were in close contact with Augusta National about contingency plans. The decision ultimately was made to begin play at 7:30am, with CBS' coverage starting at 9:00am. Despite this being the first time such a scenario presented itself, there was no question that golf would preempt CBS' long-running Sunday morning schedule if the tee times were moved. CBS Sports Exec VP/Programming Dan Weinberg was the point person internally, talking with CBS News and CBS Entertainment execs about plans. Acting CBS CEO Joe Ianniello being at the tournament in Augusta also helped streamline some of the decision-making process (John Ourand, SBJ Media).

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS: CBS drew 10.8 million viewers for its weather-adjusted live coverage of Tiger Woods’ win from 9:00am-3:30pm, with the net drawing another 4.5 million viewers for an encore presentation from 3:30-7:00pm. CBS last year drew 13.03 million viewers for Patrick Reed’s win (Woods finished tied for 32nd). The combined 15.4 million viewers for the live and encore telecasts would mark the best Masters Sunday since ’10, when 16.7 million watched Phil Mickelson win. Woods finished tied for fourth that year in his first tournament since his personal scandal. The 4.5 million viewers for the encore marks the third-best golf audience for ’19 to date, behind only the live final round and 8.6 million for CBS’ live third round on Saturday (Austin Karp, THE DAILY). In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal wrote the viewership for Sunday's final round leaves one to wonder what kind of audience Woods' "resurrection would have drawn had weather not forced the final-round telecast to start at breakfast rather than after lunch" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/16).

MASTERS CLASS: VARIETY's Cynthia Liddleton noted McManus "praised the work of the CBS Sports production team on the ground and in the booth for complementing" the golf being played by Woods and others. McManus said that he was "particularly pleased" that the CBS team "let the pictures do the talking" in the moments after Woods tapped in on 18 and embraced his family. McManus said, "I give our announcers a lot of credit for letting those scenes play out with no commentary" (VARIETY.com, 4/15). THEBIGLEAD.com's Brian Giuffra wrote the CBS broadcast team "did an unreal job providing perspective and insight into the course and players while letting the play do the talking." Jim Nantz was "quiet ... allowing the moment to wash over everyone" (THEBIGLEAD.com, 4/15). In Buffalo, Alan Pergament writes Nantz was "exceptional Sunday, capturing every moment of Woods' triumph and aftermath." Pergament: "He had me at his first four words after Woods' short putt clinched his triumph. 'The return to glory,' said Nantz, beautifully capturing the moment" (BUFFALO NEWS, 4/16).

Nantz relished the opportunity to reminisce with Woods when he arrived in Butler Cabin after his win CBS

MIGHT HAVE OVERDONE IT: In Phoenix, Billy Goodykoontz wrote once it was "clear that Woods was going to win," the CBS coverage "became so downright gooey the television screen practically dripped." Within a few minutes of Woods' win, someone had "put together quick snippets" of Woods in '96 "embracing his late father, with a cut of Woods embracing his son." Nantz, who "treats Augusta National Golf Club and the tournament itself as if it were some sort of church and he its most devoted member, went back to it again and again." Nantz even "asked Woods about it -- not the hugging itself, but the compilation" (AZCENTRAL.com, 4/14).

WEATHER OR NOT: In DC, Matthew Cappucci noted ESPN's Michael Wilbon on Sunday criticized local affiliate WUSA-CBS on Twitter for interrupting the afternoon replay of the final round with updates of the weather system that pushed the Masters to its early start. Wilbon tweeted, "You people couldn’t wait until Tiger putted out (on replay granted) before you took HIM off the screen for your self-indulgent endless weather interruption?” Meteorologists "responded in hordes, emphasizing the importance of getting critical and potentially lifesaving information out to the public as quickly as possible" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 4/15). Meanwhile, Atlanta-based WGCL-CBS meteorologist Ella Dorsey "received death threats after breaking into coverage of the Masters tournament Sunday with information about a potential tornado." WGCL used a "split screen so viewers could still see the golf being played at Augusta National, but the play-by-play was muted for the weather update" (THESTATE.com, 4/15).

LEAVING AN IMPRESSION: NBC's Mike Tirico was part of the Westwood One radio crew covering The Masters and described it the "best event I've ever had a chance to call." Tirico: "There's no doubt about it, given everything that went into it. ... It really felt like you were in the middle of a different sporting event, not a golf tournament at Augusta National." He added, "Just to watch Tiger's joy and euphoria when it was all said and done, just being that close to it -- I think we all got caught up in the moment, and it's something we'll never forget" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 4/15).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/04/16/Media/Tiger.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/04/16/Media/Tiger.aspx

CLOSE