FYI Friday: A potpourri, a gumbo of items you can win bets with, or just be happy to be smarter after reading

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Welcome to The Central Georgia Sports Report’s new feature: FYI Friday.

Every Friday (or a day or two later), during the visit you should make every day to The Sports Report to gain knowledge, come get specific information on specific topics, answers to questions you didn’t know you had, but answers you’re glad to get.

          If you like being smarter. Welcome.

          Contrary to popular belief – mostly with those associated with it, competing in it, broadcasting it, or covering it – and despite a half-day of coverage before it even begins and then hours of replays, the Masters doesn’t come anywhere near outside-the-game interest as portrayed.

Gaining knowledge never gets old
April 4: College hoops and Final Fours
April 11: The 10 largest high schools in Central Georgia
April 18: Random items covering a variety of sports and people
June 12: A look at Omaha and the College World Series
June 19: More on Omaha and the College World Series
June 26: Explaining the levels of NCAA and college organizations

            The average network viewership for four days in April was 6.4 million: 2.3 million on Thursday, 3.1 on Friday (both on ESPN), 7.62 on Saturday and 12.7 on Sunday. The first two rounds were down by 28 and 14 percent, the second two rounds up 16 and 33 percent.

            Sunday was the most-watched golf telecast in the U.S. in seven years, and most-watched Masters final round since 2018.

            That’s a chunk less than the 18.1 million for the NCAA men’s basketball national championship

            Last year’s final round drew the fewest viewer since pre-COVID.

            From Yahoosports:

            “Interestingly, it was the most-watched final round since Patrick Reed – among the most unpopular players in men’s pro golf – beat Rickie Fowler in 2018.”

            The Heritage a week later averaged 4.36 million viewers for the final round.

            This year’s NCAA women’s basketball Elite Eight averaged 2.9 million viewers, all on ESPN. Last year’s figure was 6.2 million.

            The Women’s College World Series championship drew 2.4 million viewers, the Men’s CWS championship series average 2.5 million viewers for each game, down from 2.82 million last year.

            This year’s Indy 500 outdrew three of the Masters’ days, with 7 million viewers.

            Streaming is a whole ‘nother topic.