NBC SPORTS DELIVERS MOST-WATCHED FINAL ROUND FOR EAST COAST U.S. OPEN SINCE 2013
NBC's U.S. Open Final Round Coverage Peaked at 9.2 Million Viewers as Matthew Fitzpatrick Escaped Fairway Bunker and Parred 18th Hole to Secure First Major Victory
Powered by Peacock, 2022 U.S. Open is NBC Sports' Most Streamed Golf Event Ever
USA Network Posts Best Weekday Afternoon Viewership Since 2017 With Second-Round Coverage
STAMFORD, Conn. - June 21, 2022 - NBC Sports' presentation of the final round of the 2022 U.S. Open from The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., on Sunday averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 5.41 million viewers - marking the most-watched final round of an East Coast U.S. Open since 2013 and up 65% from the prior East Coast-based U.S. Open (3.3 million, Winged Foot, 9/20/20). Sunday's final round was also the most-watched sporting event of the weekend.
Sunday's final round - which capped more than 45 hours of live championship coverage across NBC, Peacock and USA Network - was highlighted by Matthew Fitzpatrick, Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler putting for the chance to win or tie for the lead on the 18th hole. Fitzpatrick secured his first major victory with a two-putt par after escaping a fairway bunker with his second shot.
Additional viewership highlights from NBC Sports' 2022 U.S. Open coverage:
· Viewership of Sunday's final round peaked at 9.2 million viewers from 6:30-6:45 p.m. ET on NBC, as Fitzpatrick, Zalatoris, and Scheffler played the final holes. The peak viewership is the highest for a U.S. Open played in the east since 2016.
· Led by Peacock, the 2022 U.S. Open is the most-streamed golf event in NBC Sports history, totaling 244 million minutes* for all four rounds, up 74% vs. last year's U.S. Open. Sunday's final round delivered an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 148,000 viewers, nearly four times greater than both 2021 (Torrey Pines) and 2020 (Winged Foot). (*Figures do not include USGA digital platforms.)
· Saturday's third-round coverage (Noon-8:03 p.m. ET) delivered a TAD of 3.6 million viewers across NBC and Peacock - up 16% from same round for the prior East Coast U.S. Open (3.1 million, Winged Foot, 9/19/20).
· Featuring live U.S. Open coverage for the first time, USA Network delivered a TAD of 1.08 million viewers for second-round coverage on Friday - marking the network's best weekday afternoon viewership since 2017 (12/26/17), excluding holidays. On Thursday, live USA Network opening-round coverage averaged 854,000 viewers, which was the network's most-watched weekday afternoon since the Beijing Olympics (before being exceeded by Friday's coverage).
· The TV-only viewership and household rating for Sunday's broadcast on NBC (Noon-6:52 p.m. ET) was 5.3 million viewers and a 2.9/12 rating. The 12 share is the best for a final round since 2013 (13 share).
· Post-final round Live From coverage on GOLF Channel averaged 176,000 viewers on Sunday - up 48% from comparable coverage last year.
Total Audience Delivery is based upon live-plus-same day figures from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
Note - U.S. Opens played on the West Coast allow for live primetime coverage.
TOP METERED MARKETS FOR 2022 U.S. OPEN (Final Round)
1. Boston 5.3/19
2. West Palm Beach 4.9/17
3. Jacksonville 4.2/15
T4. Minneapolis 4.1/19
T4. Providence 4.1/14
6. Columbus 3.8/16
T7. Phoenix 3.7/15
T7. Hartford 3.7/15
T7. Las Vegas 3.7/15
10. Raleigh 3.6/13
*based on 44 metered markets
--NBC SPORTS--
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