Tape Delay Or Playoff Fatigue? Deutsche Bank Ratings Down 27%

Sports Media Watch analyzes the drop in Deutsche Bank Championship final round ratings and essentially includes that the tape delay final round, prompted by Tropical Storm Hermine, caused the 27% final round drop (1.6 overnight vs. 2.2 in 2015).

Paulsen writes:

There were only 45 minutes of live play during NBC’s 4 1/2 hour window, with the network coming on air at 1:30 PM and Rory McIlroy claiming victory at around 2:15.

With PGA Tour ratings mired in a recent slump, it is likely that ratings would have declined even if the event aired live. Sunday’s telecast was the 11th of the past 13 final round PGA windows to decline from last year, with each of the past seven hitting a multi-year low.

The answer may lie in Sunday's live numbers, which mirrored the decline.

On Sunday, live third round coverage had a 1.5 overnight — down 25% from last year (2.0) and down 17% from 2014 (1.8). It was the sixth straight third round window to decline from last year and the fifth to hit a multi-year low.

And as the window approaches for the PGA Tour to opt out of its network deals with CBS and NBC, the numbers are not coming at an opportune time.

Forward Press: The BMW Scheduling Silliness, European Tour Throwing Fans Into (14th Hole) Fire

In this week's Forward Press I explain why the BMW is starting within hours of the Deutsche Bank Championship ending (Corleone and Tattaglia made a deal) and why it's a particularly horrible idea with the NFL kicking off.

But hey, it's all about the Dyes, Crooked Stick and John Daly 1991 memories this week, so we have that (and a few fun YouTube contributions).

Also, the European Tour along with sponsor KLM is trying something pretty bold on Thursday

All in the Forward Press at GolfDigest.com.

Kostis: "The USGA and R&A look like ambulance chasers, eager to find fault with you at every turn."

If you can get Golf.com to hold still for a second and stop playing irrelevant videos, this Peter Kostis piece on the current state of golf's rules is worth a read.

Strong words here on how the rules seem to no longer be our friend, but instead, the golfer's enemy:

In addition to updating the "Ball at Rest Moved By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment" rule (18-2), which went into effect at the start of this year, the USGA also decreed that you may no longer post scores for handicap purposes if you play by yourself. It's another example of the governing bodies looking over our shoulders, like Big Brother. Apparently, they don't consider golfers to be trustworthy. So we have an issue: Golf is either the pristine, righteous game they proclaim it to be, or it's not—in which case the USGA and R&A look like ambulance chasers, eager to find fault with you at every turn. The latter mentality mocks everything the game is supposed to stand for.

Highlights From PBA's Latest Golf Auction

It's fascinating to see prices holding pretty steady (and then some) for prized golf memorabilia, at least based on the expected prices from the latest PBA Galleries auction of 200 lots.

The Sunday 5 pm PST auction is being held in conjunction with the Golf Collectors’ Society Annual Meeting and Trade Show at the Kalahari Poconos Resort.

Standouts include letter collections from Ross and Darwin, and no shortage of great volumes by the latter named legend. If you have friends at Buffalo CC, they will want to check out the Ross item.

There is also a rare Colt and Alison in a dust jacket.

Also fun was a rare St. Andrews mystery.

And much, much more.