2014 MASTERS NOT A RATINGS BLOCKBUSTER

By Torleif Sorenson on 4/15/14

CBS Sports and Augusta National Golf Club proudly presented The Masters. But this year, television viewers did not find it nearly as compelling — even with 20-year-old Jordan Spieth having a legitimate shot at a green jacket.

What is notable is that some people like Webster University economics professor Patrick Rishe predicted much lower-than-usual ratings back on April 1, just a couple of hours after Tiger Woods announced his microdiscectomy and being sidelined from golf for awhile.

The Detroit News reports that CBS earned a 7.8 rating for the final round on Sunday — down 24% from the 10.2 rating for last year's final round and playoff, in which Adam Scott defeated Ángel Cabrera in overtime. The last time The Masters drew as few viewers was for Phil Mickelson's victory in 2004; it garnered just a 7.2 rating.

Author and sports media blogger Ed Sherman noted that, even though Dallas-native Jordan Spieth was touted as a legitimate threat to win, neither the Dallas Morning News nor the Fort Worth Star-Telegram had reporters at Augusta National last week. To be fair, Sherman correctly notes that newspaper budgets are tight, especially with a six-year-long economic downturn that has seen major dailies like the Rocky Mountain News close down.

But Sherman also had this thought:

Given what Spieth did at the Masters, it will be interesting to see if the Morning News staffs future majors. He is going to win a major sooner and later, and when he does, it will be a big story, especially in Dallas.

Finally, we have these two comments by America's most senior golf writer, Dan Jenkins:

It would have been nice if somebody--ANYBODY--had put some back-nine pressure on Bubba.

— Dan Jenkins (@danjenkinsgd) April 13, 2014

And that's a wrap. More drama at Tiger's pool party than here at Augusta.

— Dan Jenkins (@danjenkinsgd) April 13, 2014

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