Con't TV Trends: Twice as many viewed Women's Final than Men's in US

[AngieB]

http://www.ibtimes.com/us-open-2014...ri-struggle-draw-viewers-cbs-bows-out-1683116

The 2014 U.S. Open will be remembered for many things, particularly the media coverage. CBS bowed out after 47 years of covering the famed tennis major with one of the lowest rated finals in history. With a match lacking tennis’s big names and beginning at 5 p.m. EDT on a Monday, there was little surprise that Marin Čilić’s straight-sets victory drew just a 1.9 overnight rating, down 32 percent from Rafael Nadal’s win over Novak Djokovic last year, reports Sports Business Daily. It was also less than half the 4.0 rating drawn by the women’s final between Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki, played on Sunday.
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"It many ways it is exciting times, but the period of transition will certainly be tough for those looking to sell the sport. What would help ESPN is the emergence of a top American male player. The now retired Andy Roddick was the last American man in a U.S. Open final, when he lost to Federer in 2006. That final drew a 5.1 rating, which no final, men’s or women’s, has matched since, according to Sports Media Watch. The last four women’s finals have significantly out-rated the men’s, in part because of scheduling, but also because each featured American star Serena Williams.

#PTL #GirlsRule #WTACarryingTennis

AngieB

 

[TheStranger]

Tennis is going to die in the US without a star American male. Serena can't do all the work!

 

[pound cat]

Because they recognized the name Serena Williams and didn't recognize Cilic or Nishikouri. They went with what they knew. When a Name is in the final TV viewers will be back.

 

[AngieB]

Tennis is going to die in the US without a star American male. Serena can't do all the work!

Tennis will never die in the US. There have been previous lulls historically but a male US Champion always emerges. The US has been without a male tennis "star" GS champion since 2003. Serena and Venus have captivated American audiences and helped by winning GS events since.

For those who attempt to pedal the myth that women's tennis is irrelevant and men's tennis fuels the sport is simply not true. It is a combination of male and female star power.

#PTL #GirlsRule #BillieJeanWasRight


AngieB

 

[moonballs]

Even last years men's final with Rafa and Novak got approximately half of the women's final's rating points iirc. So it definitely has something to do with American names and perhaps the Monday timing is not as good as Sunday.

 

[InvisibleSoul]

The last four women’s finals have significantly out-rated the men’s, in part because of scheduling, but also because each featured American star Serena Williams.

100% scheduling.

I don't buy Serena vs Stosur/Azarenka/Wozniacki is a bigger draw than Djokovic vs Nadal/Murray for a second.

 

[TheStranger]

100% scheduling.

I don't buy Serena vs Stosur/Azarenka/Wozniacki is a bigger draw than Djokovic vs Nadal/Murray for a second.

In America.

Serena, Sharapova, probably a lot more well-known than Federer, Nadal, Djoker, etc. amongst the general US population.

 

[InvisibleSoul]

In America.

Serena, Sharapova, probably a lot more well-known than Federer, Nadal, Djoker, etc. amongst the general US population.

That's sad, but maybe that is the truth.

 

[tennisaddict]

OP,

Can you please hazard a guess what would be the rating of Makarova vs Wozniacki finals on a Monday ?

#WTASucks #WTABurdenforTennis

 

[Winners or Errors]

...and hence the reason Serena deserved more money than the male champion. It's all about revenue generation.

 

[pound cat]

...and hence the reason Serena deserved more money than the male champion. It's all about revenue generation.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ = professional tennis...

 

[Man of steel]

Tennis in general is on a decline in terms of viewership. Its just not competing with the other bigger sports anymore. There is a lot, and i mean a lot of reasons and factors that has affected the decline of tennis viewership. Football (soccer) is even starting to become one of the popular sports in America now. Its already popular worldwide.

 

[firepanda]

Wow. I guess the stereotype of Americans thinking there's nothing else in the world except for them is true. Tennis is still as popular as ever in NZ.

 

[elkwood]

Wonder how many watched the final online. I don't even have a tv anymore and watched the tourny on the usopen.org site.

Which was great since i didn't even have to endure commercials.

 

[elkwood]

Wow. I guess the stereotype of Americans thinking there's nothing else in the world except for them is true. Tennis is still as popular as ever in NZ.

Oh yea my friend. World revolves around us for sure.... Its just apart of our culture.

 

[WildVolley]

My impression is that a lot of the people watching aren't really tennis fans, so they are more likely to watch if a big name American is playing. Obviously, putting the men's final during the work day for a majority of the American public didn't help ratings.

This also explains why so many American tennis fans hate the Williams' sisters. I don't really dislike them that much as people, but they've been the bane of my tennis viewing experience. Some of the major channels will replay a Williams' match during the opening rounds when there are a number of exciting early round matches, many going to tiebreaks! The US stations will also interrupt coverage of a tiebreak to show an interview with Serena. I think this explains why many people start to hate them. Blame it on the coverage.

 

[TheStranger]

Wonder how many watched the final online. I don't even have a tv anymore and watched the tourny on the usopen.org site.

Which was great since i didn't even have to endure commercials.

I watched it entirely online via USOpen.org as well! I loved the no commercials and different commentators. One of the many reasons why I love the USO the most.

 

[Objective Danny]

This is a PC way to make people think more viewers watch the women game than the men. Sunday's exhibition match was the furthest thing from my mind. There was no way I was going to kill an hour on it. The majority of tennis purists felt the same way.

I question the validity of the article.

 

[elkwood]

I watched it entirely online via USOpen.org as well! I loved the no commercials and different commentators. One of the many reasons why I love the USO the most.

Aye was great !!! I loved being able to switch thru the different courts. Allowed me to catch players and doubles that i wouldn't been able to see otherwise.

The usopen.org coverage was the best i seen so far. I have to jump thru hopes to watch french and wimbl this year.

 

[TheStranger]

Aye was great !!! I loved being able to switch thru the different courts. Allowed me to catch players and doubles that i wouldn't been able to see otherwise.

The usopen.org coverage was the best i seen so far. I have to jump thru hopes to watch french and wimbl this year.

Yep, the sad reality of going TV-less is sometimes finding crummy livestreams. But yes, the USOpen.org is the best, waaay better than TennisTV last time I used it.

 

[Objective Danny]

Aye was great !!! I loved being able to switch thru the different courts. Allowed me to catch players and doubles that i wouldn't been able to see otherwise.

The usopen.org coverage was the best i seen so far. I have to jump thru hopes to watch french and wimbl this year.

Was it free?

 

[elkwood]

Yep, the sad reality of going TV-less is sometimes finding crummy livestreams. But yes, the USOpen.org is the best, waaay better than TennisTV last time I used it.

I was thinking about trying the TennisTv. Really just gotten back into tennis after a long layoff. I thought about just buying a year pass.

 

[elkwood]

Was it free?

Yes It was free and like been said the streaming was great and no commercials really topped the cake !

 

[TheStranger]

I was thinking about trying the TennisTv. Really just gotten back into tennis after a long layoff. I thought about just buying a year pass.

Just try it for a month before buying the year pass. For me, it was skippy, it wasn't HD like the US Open's stream, it wouldn't load on my tablet/kept telling me to refresh. I tried it a couple of years ago for the clay tournaments before the French, but wasn't happy so I stopped my service.

Maybe it's gotten better since then, but compare it to what the US Open offered if you do give it a go.

 

[Objective Danny]

Yes It was free and like been said the streaming was great and no commercials really topped the cake !

Hopefully, it'll be the same way next year. I'll left click and check it out.

Thanks.

 

[elkwood]

Hopefully, it'll be the same way next year. I'll left click and check it out.

Thanks.

Yea me too I heard that espn taken over totally as of next year. So not sure what will happen to the streaming side of it

 

[AngieB]

OP,

Can you please hazard a guess what would be the rating of Makarova vs Wozniacki finals on a Monday ?

#WTASucks #WTABurdenforTennis

The TV ratings are consistent, going back four years. Djokovic d. Nadal in the 2011 US Open Finals played on a Monday while Stosur d. S. Williams rated higher. In this regard, Monday is irrelevant. The reality is that Nadal/Djokovic/Murray just don't captivate the imagination of American fans like women's tennis does.

#PTL #GirlsRule #ATPNeedsHelp

AngieB

 

[AngieB]

...and hence the reason Serena deserved more money than the male champion. It's all about revenue generation.

Yes, Serena did deserve much more money than the male champion. Just her appearance makes others millions of dollars.

#PTL

AngieB

 

[dcdoorknob]

The men's final started at 4pm here (central time zone, US). If you aren't in the Eastern time zone, it started before the work day was even finished, and even on the East coast it's starting before most people get home from work.

Nothing gets big ratings on weekday afternoons. The scheduling was idiotic.

 

[burgerK]

Not surprising at all, unfortunately.
It was particularly weird to know that the men's final was delayed because of TV demands, simply because a bigger sport was broadcasted at the same time (only in US) and it was sad to see so many empty seats as well (I guess most Americans don't care about tennis, just about big names).

 

[diggler]

Yes the US ratings were higher because Serena was in the final. If Serena wasn't in the final, how do you think it would rate? How much prizemoney should the women get then?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/04/s...open-will-switch-channels-full-time.html?_r=0

 

[Topspin_80]

The TV ratings are consistent, going back four years. Djokovic d. Nadal in the 2011 US Open Finals played on a Monday while Stosur d. S. Williams rated higher. In this regard, Monday is irrelevant. The reality is that Nadal/Djokovic/Murray just don't captivate the imagination of American fans like women's tennis does.

#PTL #GirlsRule #ATPNeedsHelp

AngieB

Don't be tupid witch, in Seattle is 2pm on a working day, no way folks are gonna take a day off just to watch it.

All along the West Coast same thing, of course being Monday so early is relevant.

Where are you from witch???

 

[mellowyellow]

How did the mens semi's rate?

 

[AngieB]

Don't be tupid witch, in Seattle is 2pm on a working day, no way folks are gonna take a day off just to watch it.

All along the West Coast same thing, of course being Monday so early is relevant.

Where are you from witch???

There is a thing called the "internet" by which the US Open site streamed the finals live in the US to "computers". Even in Seattle.

US Open Monday Finals:
2014 Cilic-Nishakori
2011 Djokovic-Nadal

2011 - 2014 US Open Women's Finals drew higher ratings. Monday is irrelevant because the Men's Sunday finals didn't yield greater results than the Women's finals.

Deal with it and stop trying to make excuses for low TV ratings for ATP US Open Finals.

 

[AngieB]

...duplicate

 

[mellowyellow]

There is a thing called the "internet" by which the US Open site streamed the finals live in the US to "computers". Even in Seattle.

US Open Monday Finals:
2014 Cilic-Nishakori
2011 Djokovic-Nadal

2011 - 2014 US Open Women's Finals drew higher ratings. Monday is irrelevant because the Men's Sunday finals didn't yield greater results than the Women's finals.

Deal with it and stop trying to make excuses for low TV ratings for ATP US Open Finals.

Your spewing bs in contradiction to what the article covered. Your link, reread it completely or stfu abiut it.

 

[CDNguy87]

There is a thing called the "internet" by which the US Open site streamed the finals live in the US to "computers". Even in Seattle.

US Open Monday Finals:
2014 Cilic-Nishakori
2011 Djokovic-Nadal

2011 - 2014 US Open Women's Finals drew higher ratings. Monday is irrelevant because the Men's Sunday finals didn't yield greater results than the Women's finals.

Deal with it and stop trying to make excuses for low TV ratings for ATP US Open Finals.

1) This thing called the "internet" wouldn't be counted in TV ratings.

2) Even if it were, most people have this thing called "work" during the day that prevents them from being distracted for several hours consecutively by a sporting event.

 

[AngieB]

Don't be tupid witch, in Seattle is 2pm on a working day, no way folks are gonna take a day off just to watch it.

All along the West Coast same thing, of course being Monday so early is relevant.

Where are you from witch???

Your spewing bs in contradiction to what the article covered. Your link, reread it completely or stfu abiut it.

1) This thing called the "internet" wouldn't be counted in TV ratings.

2) Even if it were, most people have this thing called "work" during the day that prevents them from being distracted for several hours consecutively by a sporting event.

All the excuses and deflection in the world is no larger than your damaged male ego at this moment. Why so upset that US viewers preferred to watch the US Open women's final? I am SO sorry that your image of male superiority has been diminished by the American TV viewer. Don't blame the messenger, blame the ATP's inability to attract more American fans to watch male tennis players.

I felt sorry for Novak having to prompt the crowd to cheer for him throughout the tournament. It looked a little desperate for the number one ranked male player clamoring for attention. It looked like a "chick" move. "Here...Here I am...Cheer for me...Please...Look at Me..."

I don't know what it will take short of another rising American Champion to captivate the imagination of the American TV viewers. But the current ATP crop just isn't doing it.

Watching Serena accept her $4 million dollar check (the largest one payday in tennis history) was well-deserved by the woman who has carried US Open Finals ratings in the USA for the past few years. Her appearance alone makes people millions. No one besides Roger comes close. Everyone loves Roger Federer.

#PTL #KingDRiggs1973 #IttyBittyProblem

AngieB

 

[KineticChain]

There is a thing called the "internet" by which the US Open site streamed the finals live in the US to "computers". Even in Seattle.

US Open Monday Finals:
2014 Cilic-Nishakori
2011 Djokovic-Nadal

2011 - 2014 US Open Women's Finals drew higher ratings. Monday is irrelevant because the Men's Sunday finals didn't yield greater results than the Women's finals.

Deal with it and stop trying to make excuses for low TV ratings for ATP US Open Finals.

"As much as the lack of star power, the numbers were also clearly impacted by the final’s scheduling. This was the seventh consecutive men’s U.S. Open final to be played on a Monday"

i know you're trying to get back at certain people on the forum and inflame them.. but it's pretty clear the major factor in this is the scheduling. Not like Cilic-Nishikori final would have brought overwhelming views in if it was on prime-time sunday.. but it certainly would have gotten a respectable amount

 

[CDNguy87]

All the excuses and deflection in the world is no larger than your damaged male ego at this moment. Why so upset that US viewers preferred to watch the US Open women's final? I am SO sorry that your image of male superiority has been diminished by the American TV viewer. Don't blame the messenger, blame the ATP's inability to attract more American fans to watch male tennis players.

I felt sorry for Novak having to prompt the crowd to cheer for him throughout the tournament. It looked a little desperate for the number one ranked male player clamoring for attention. It looked like a "chick" move. "Here...Here I am...Cheer for me...Please...Look at Me..."

I don't know what it will take short of another rising American Champion to captivate the imagination of the American TV viewers. But the current ATP crop just isn't doing it.

Watching Serena accept her $4 million dollar check (the largest one payday in tennis history) was well-deserved by the woman who has carried US Open Finals ratings in the USA for the past few years. Her appearance alone makes people millions. No one besides Roger comes close. Everyone loves Roger Federer.

#PTL #KingDRiggs1973 #IttyBittyProblem

AngieB

These "excuses" are legitimate facts that anyone with an objective perspective can appreciate. I think you're getting a little too emotional about this, dear.

 

[AngieB]

i know you're trying to get back at certain people on the forum and inflame them.. but it's pretty clear the major factor in this is the scheduling. Not like Cilic-Nishikori final would have brought overwhelming views in if it was on prime-time sunday.. but it certainly would have gotten a respectable amount

I've never encountered these people before to want to "get back" at anyone.

To assume that a Cilic-Nishikori Sunday final would have eclipsed the women's final when Serena was playing for #18 at the US Open is naive in my opinion.

#PTL

AngieB

 

[AngieB]

These "excuses" are legitimate facts that anyone with an objective perspective can appreciate. I think you're getting a little too emotional about this, dear.

It's funny how some men are so delusional that they revert to ignoring reality and create some alternate universe by which they think all other species are negligible. Those men lacking in other areas are threatened by everyone.

Real men don't have a problem with women getting the attention and respect they deserved for working hard. They aren't insecure with their manhood.

#PTL

AngieB

 

[JRAJ1988]

#hastags

#I'msickofhashtags #whyTheUseOfHashagsOnaTennisSite #isHashTagOveruseAnAmericanThing?

 

[skip1969]

tennis is an international sport at pro level. international sports don't rate very highly in the us on tv. that's just a plain fact. tennis has always had lousy ratings in the us in comparison to other mainstream sports - nba, mlb, nfl. those other sports are 'american' sports, and though they have become more international during the past couple of decades, they still have enough home-grown talents to keep the yanks interested and tuned in to watch.

one could argue that tennis has only mattered in this country when it has been dominated by americans. deduce what you will from that, call us sports fans insular or jingoistic . . . but that's just how it goes. use professional golf as a parallel. do you think americans would have tuned in to watch tiger woods dominate during his peak if he were not american. no way. it's pretty much the only factor which brought in the average american fan.

tennis is exactly the same. many casual fans only watch the us open because it is the us open. in new york. and they are only interested in how american players do. why else would the coverage be so biased and overbearing towards us players? with a total lack of any american men with the potential to win the title, the coverage is completely skewed towards venus and serena (the only two legitimate competitors in the women's field) and then . . . anybody else who is american who wins a round. that's pretty much it.

the real stars of the men's game play second fiddle to serena, and even to some of these no-name americans who get top billing for a round during their 15 seconds of fame as a yank in the us open.

all this, plus the stupidity of the us open scheduling. coupled with the fact that every network and sponsor know that no international star will capture the ratings that an american would. throw in that the us open is in direct competition with the opening of the nfl american football season, college american football, the run-in to the baseball playoffs . . . and is it any wonder why the ratings are so poor (and even worse for the men)?

if serena were from morocco . . . americans wouldn't watch her, just as they didn't watch cilic or nishikori, novak, nadal, or any other international star. they watch her because she's american. and because she's usually the only american left playing on the final weekend.

 

[tennisaddict]

It's funny how some men are so delusional that they revert to ignoring reality and create some alternate universe by which they think all other species are negligible. Those men lacking in other areas are threatened by everyone.

Real men don't have a problem with women getting the attention and respect they deserved for working hard. They aren't insecure with their manhood.

#PTL

AngieB

Giles Simon, Janko Tipsarevic and Gulbis dont think highly of WTA.

Yet they have money, fame and beautiful women around them.

 

[britam25]

This is a PC way to make people think more viewers watch the women game than the men. Sunday's exhibition match was the furthest thing from my mind. There was no way I was going to kill an hour on it. The majority of tennis purists felt the same way.

I question the validity of the article.

Of COURSE you question it, just like you didn't waste any time deigning to watch the women's final, after predicting that Serena would "humiliate" herself, one of many "spot on" predictions of yours lately. Your contention that YOU know what "...the majority of tennis purists" feel is as hilarious as it is pathetic.

 

[Mike Sams]

People never gave a crud about boxing. But they all watched when Tyson was on. Tennis needs american stars to truly thrive in America. Men's tennis that is. Once Serena is gone, no americans will be tuning into any women's final unless she looks like Kournikova :lol:
Furthermore, in my opinion, I never thought Federer and Nadal were truly marketed well in North America. I just never really saw their faces anywhere on any billboards or commericals or anything. Basically you had to be a tennis fan in order to know who they were. They didn't transcend the sport despite their achievements.

 

[Midaso240]

They were mainly watching for Caro's display of hotness

 

[furryballs]

It's funny how some men are so delusional that they revert to ignoring reality and create some alternate universe by which they think all other species are negligible. Those men lacking in other areas are threatened by everyone.

Real men don't have a problem with women getting the attention and respect they deserved for working hard. They aren't insecure with their manhood.

#PTL

AngieB

Serena's bumcheeks on a sunday will always win against 2 men playing on a monday.

 

[Gonzalito17]

Billie Jean King is now aggressively negotiating to reduce the 50-50% split of equal prize money to 75-25% in favor of the women based on the ratings imbalance for this year's US Open mens and womens finals.