US Open to go deeper into prime time

[PuttPutt]

What can you say about this recent development?

I think this will improve TV ratings anew and personally, I prefer this as it matches my schedule of "free time". Good move I say. How about you? Source MSNBC

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - The U.S. Open at Pebble Beach will be televised later than ever in prime time on the weekend. The USGA made it official Monday by releasing TV times for the U.S. Open, to be held June 17-20. The third round on NBC is scheduled to end at 11 p.m. EDT on Saturday. Coverage of Sunday's final round is to end at 9 p.m. EDT. U.S. Open coverage first went into prime time on the weekend at Torrey Pines two years ago, when it ended at 10 p.m. EDT on Saturday and 9 p.m. EDT for the final round. That led to the highest rating for a U.S. Open in six years, and the third-best Sunday rating in U.S. Open history. Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate were tied after 72 holes, and Woods won in a playoff the next day.

The USGA first mentioned the U.S. Open's prime time coverage in February during the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. The U.S. Open returns to Pebble Beach for the first time since 2000, when Tiger Woods shattered the major championship record with his 15-shot victory. ESPN went into prime time with its weekday coverage of that 2000 U.S. Open, ending its telecast of the first round at 10:30 p.m. EDT and the second round at 11:22 p.m. The U.S. Open will have more than 30 hours of live TV coverage, nearly twice as much as the Masters. ESPN will provide coverage Thursday and Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. EDT and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., with NBC Sports taking the 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. window during the weekdays. NBC will broadcast the third round from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and the fourth round from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

[Chilli Dipper]

I like it from a logistics and competition angle; it makes sense to schedule the tournament according to west coast time. Play shouldn't begin at the crack of dawn on Thursday and Friday, nor should there be a rush to finish by 4:00, in order to fit into the typical east coast time window.

I don't like it from a broadcasting angle; prime-time golf always seems a bit gimmicky to me, even considering the time change. I don't know if television audiences will accept such a late finish if Tiger isn't in contention.

[colin007]

this isnt good for me...usually evenings are wife time...

[zeg]

It's good for me, I hate turning on at 2pm on the weekend only to find out that the last group is on 17 because they're playing on east coast time...

[Titleist_ProV1x]

Good to know, but this won't affect me since I'll be at the tournament all week

[DavidFehertysBike]

This is cool for me too. I can chill out in bed and watch my favorite tournament of the year.

[Leftygolfer]

Pretty sweet. I hope old Phil can go back to back. At least it isn't the NCAA with tip off at 930 on monday. Heck, I'm in bed by then.

[Titleist_ProV1x]

Pretty sweet. I hope old Phil can go back to back. At least it isn't the NCAA with tip off at 930 on monday. Heck, I'm in bed by then.

LOL, I want Bubba to win it, but more likely would be Phil or Tiger, then again you never know, it's gonna be great no matter what

[shortstop20]

Awesome, I wish every west coast tournament was like this.

[Zeph]

That sucks, as it means I won't be able to see it. Later TV time means in the middle of the night here, and since I'm working 12 hour shifts, I can't sit up all night to watch, I might not even get a working stream anyways.