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

[Gonzalito17]

Tennis is hugely popular in the US despite what these mens final rankings say. We knew Cilic vs. Nishikori was going to be a ratings bust because most sports fans aren't familiar with them. Plus the Monday afternoon start is a mistake that will soon be corrected.

 

[diggler]

2010 was the last non Serena final. Clijsters beat Zveronerava 6-2 6-1. How much should the players have been paid for that one?

(sound of tumbleweeds can be heard).

 

[bluetrain4]

100% scheduling.

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

You wouldn't think, but for American television audiences - yes. Scheduling was certainly part of it, but not 100%. There really is mass of casual sports/tennis fans who are going to be drawn to names, and even more specifically American names.

 

[Federer302]

Men do not deserve the same money as women.:wink::grin:

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

OP,

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

#WTASucks #WTABurdenforTennis

It is not just a lack of name players for the 2014 USO men's final low ratings. Federer's ratings have been down (there was a recent thread about this)--but if you believe his cheerleaders, he's walking on water, is loved by "millions", and is a ratings magnet. Obviously, that is not true, so there are other issues at work. The other issues are that the men's game is not populated with exciting personalities as in years--or generations past.

I could post the ratings list to prove this, but I know those who want to live in denial-ville will continue to do so.

 

[diggler]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/med...811280758?nk=0c1fef28bfd857692362bfb196afbe1e

Tennis rates well in Australia. A peak of 3 million viewers in a population of 20 million and not an Aussie to be seen on finals day.

 

[pound cat]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/med...811280758?nk=0c1fef28bfd857692362bfb196afbe1e

Tennis rates well in Australia. A peak of 3 million viewers in a population of 20 million and not an Aussie to be seen on finals day.

Big jump in tennis TV watching in Canada as well. Countries which have players doing well will have people watching tennis on TV.

 

[Man of steel]

There was probably a huge amount of croatians watching the finals

 

[NLBwell]

I'm glad if the women's match got good ratings. I can't believe that they put on the men's match in the middle of the afternoon. Did they really think that the people watching soap operas and Maury would change over to watch a tennis match?
The attraction to the sponsors in the U.S. is that people who watch tennis are pretty wealthy. This is generally related to having jobs (and working late).

 

[AngieB]

Should be interesting to see the US Open Men's Finals on ESPN compete with Sunday NFL football in the states without an American Champion in the finals. Doubtful it would get a 3.5

#PTL #HashTagForward #LeaveItOnTheCourt

AngieB

 

[Goosehead]

when/if nick kygrios is in AO final, I think record viewing figures will happen (see wiki most watched tv broadcasts).

 

[KtM]

Sunday vs Monday might also have something to do with it.

 

[KtM]

How do the semifinals compare and earlier for viewership? Men vs women just curious.

 

[OrangePower]

It's a combination of scheduling AND name recognition. Logistics AND interest. And you can't really separate the effects of one vs the other. Because both need to be there in order to ensure viewership.

I'm a fan and would have wanted to watch the men's final, but simply could not. 2PM for me on the west coast, and I have a job. I would have watched it if it was on Sunday.

But there are plenty of casual fans who would not have watched even on Sunday since the names were not as recognizable. And no American.

Likewise I bet the viewership for the women would have been way down if it was on Monday, simply because of logistics.

 

[Vanhool]

It's a combination of scheduling AND name recognition. Logistics AND interest. And you can't really separate the effects of one vs the other. Because both need to be there in order to ensure viewership.

I'm a fan and would have wanted to watch the men's final, but simply could not. 2PM for me on the west coast, and I have a job. I would have watched it if it was on Sunday.

But there are plenty of casual fans who would not have watched even on Sunday since the names were not as recognizable. And no American.

Likewise I bet the viewership for the women would have been way down if it was on Monday, simply because of logistics.

Exactly. That is a horrible time slot. And the name recognition thing. If it was an Errani Kerber final on a Monday vs a Federer Tsonga final on Sunday, the guys would have way better ratings than the women. If people were using that as an indictment of the WTA (which they undoubtedly would), it would be really obnoxious.

 

[Overdrive]

#I'msickofhashtags #whyTheUseOfHashagsOnaTennisSite #isHashTagOveruseAnAmericanThing?

#BecausePeopleThinkIt'sHipAndCoolToDoSo

 

[Alchemy-Z]

I saw the Womens final cause I was home-
Missed the Men's because I was at work.

Was pulling for Serena to get #18

did not have a dog in the fight for the mens title so did not care much- seeing as it was a 3 set win kinda glad i missed it was hoping for an epic 5 setter of the underdogs but Nishi I guess was burned out.

 

[tennisaddict]

It is not just a lack of name players for the 2014 USO men's final low ratings. Federer's ratings have been down (there was a recent thread about this)--but if you believe his cheerleaders, he's walking on water, is loved by "millions", and is a ratings magnet. Obviously, that is not true, so there are other issues at work. The other issues are that the men's game is not populated with exciting personalities as in years--or generations past.

I could post the ratings list to prove this, but I know those who want to live in denial-ville will continue to do so.

I could prove that the sport is GLOBALLY more popular now than when those exciting personalities of yester years played with wooden sticks.

Hey, if hatred is the name of the game and time is on your hands, you can spew BS all day , isnt it ?

 

[Mick]

this year's Women's final was pretty boring because at no point in the match did Wozniacki pose a threat to Serena.

Last year's final, Azarenka vs Serena. now that's exciting.

the men's final was boring too for the same reason, Nishikori could not hang with Cilic.

 

[AngieB]

this year's Women's final was pretty boring because at no point in the match did Wozniacki pose a threat to Serena.

Last year's final, Azarenka vs Serena. now that's exciting.

You fail to acknowledge the historical significance of Williams-Wozniacki which made it more compelling to watch than Williams-Azarenka.

People watched the match to see Serena win #18. That's why it got a 4.0 TV rating.

#PTL

AngieB

 

[Ironwood]

If viewers didn't recognize the names Cilic and Nishikouri they shouldn't be watching the final anyway!

 

[britam25]

this year's Women's final was pretty boring because at no point in the match did Wozniacki pose a threat to Serena.

Last year's final, Azarenka vs Serena. now that's exciting.

the men's final was boring too for the same reason, Nishikori could not hang with Cilic.

Aza lost the first set last year, somehow greased out the second set, and got slaughtered 6-1 in the third set, so to say that she posed a threat to Serena is a bit of an overstatement, don't you think?

 

[Mick]

Aza lost the first set last year, somehow greased out the second set, and got slaughtered 6-1 in the third set, so to say that she posed a threat to Serena is a bit of an overstatement, don't you think?

well, when Serena plays well there's nothing her opponents can do.
I did watch that match and i thought Azarenka had a chance going into the 3rd set. Whereas, Wozniacki had no chance in this year's final. Her game was based upon consistency but she made a lot of unforced errors and had only one or two winners, excluding service aces. Serena, on the other hand, made a lot of winners and very few unforced errors.

 

[West Coast Ace]

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

Fail. If it had been Fed and Djokovic they would have beaten the women's.

And the men's match starting time/day (work day) wasn't very conducive to good ratings.