Venus-Serena XXX Scores Major Overnight Rating

Tennis

Venus-Serena XXX Scores Major Overnight Rating

Photo of Dave Nagle Dave Nagle Follow on Twitter September 1, 2018
Serena Williams
Queens, NY - August 27, 2018 - USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center: Serena Williams competing in the 2018 US Open

Highest-Rated Telecast in First Three Rounds in ESPN History

Rating More than Doubles Last Year’s Friday Night

Friday night’s US Open telecast on ESPN – Serena Williams defeating older sister Venus 6-1 6-2 in dominating fashion – earned an impressive 1.8 overnight rating for the match and 1.5 for the two-hour telecast in the metered markets, according to Nielsen.  That is the highest rating in the first three rounds at the US Open that ESPN/ESPN2 has ever earned in history, 123 telecasts starting in 2009.

The two-hour telecast (7:15 – 9:15 p.m. ET) was up 114% — more than double – last year’s equivalent telecast on ESPN2 (0.7).  The match (8-9:15 p.m.) peaked at 1.9 from 8:45 – 9 p.m.

Saturday Night in New York

Tonight’s US Open prime-time “double doubleheader” of third round matches on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET has #22 Maria Sharapova, a five-time Major winner including a career Grand Slam, facing a tough test against #10 Jelena Ostapenko in Arthur Ashe Stadium before #6 Novak Djokovic plays #26 Richard Gasquet.  At the same time, Louis Armstrong Stadium will see two matches where a Major champion squares off with a very young but promising player:  #5 Petra Kvitova, twice winner at Wimbledon, vs. #26 Aryna Sabalenka, 20 years old and coming off a tremendous summer, followed by #7 Marin Cilic, the 2014 champion in New York, vs. 19-year old Alex De Minaur of Australia.

ESPN and the US Open

ESPN has exclusive live action of the US Open with 130 hours on television and 1,300 more streaming live on the ESPN app via ESPN+ and ESPN3.  The daily action from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will culminate with the Women’s Championship on Saturday, Sept. 8, and the Men’s Championship on Sunday, Sept. 9, both at 4 p.m.

ESPN’s US Open Schedule Labor Day Weekend:

Date Time (ET) Event Network
Sat Sep 1 11 a.m. US Open Third Round ESPN2
  7 p.m. Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM – Third Round ESPN2
Sun Sep 2 11 a.m. US Open Round of 16 ESPN
  7 p.m. Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM – Round of 16 ESPN2
Mon Sept 3 11 a.m. US Open Round of 16 ESPN2
  7 p.m. Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM – Round of 16 ESPN2

 

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Photo of Dave Nagle Dave Nagle Follow on Twitter September 1, 2018
Photo of Dave Nagle

Dave Nagle

As I write this on 11-11-21, it's now 35 years for me at ESPN, the only real job I’ve ever had. I joined merely to help with the upcoming America’s Cup in Australia. I was told it would be for three months at all of $5.50 per hour. I like to say I simply kept showing up. I’ve worked on almost every sport, plus answered viewer calls and letters (people used to write!), given tours, written the company newsletter and once drove NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon to the local airport. My travels have been varied…I’ve been to Martinsville, Darlington, Indy and Super Bowls; the America’s Cup (all 3) in San Diego and College GameDay in the sport’s meccas such as Eugene, Auburn, Lubbock, Stillwater and more; the NBA Finals, Wimbledon (16 times and counting) and the “other Bristol,” the one with a race track in Tennessee. These days, my main areas are tennis, UFC, boxing, network-wide ratings (by month/quarter/year), and corporate communications documents, including fact sheets, chronologies, lists and nearly 35 of the Year in Review press releases. UPDATE EXACTLY ONE YEAR LATER: Today, November 11, 2022, I am retiring from ESPN -- 36 years to the day I began. As I ride off into the sunset – top down and E Street Radio blaring – I do so with so many wonderful memories, proud of my contributions and a heart full of gratitude for the opportunity. 
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