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Tradition Unlike Any Other By George Stahl NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Sports longest-lasting marriage with television celebrates another anniversary this weekend when CBS broadcasts The Masters for the 44th straight year. The Masters, which CBS began covering in 1956, is the longest-running annual sports event ever presented on one network. The first Nielsen-rated tournament in 1957 received a household rating/share of 3.4/10 for 2 1/2 hours of coverage in a TV universe of 35.5 million households.
Last year, despite being on Easter weekend, The Masters weekend rating/share of 8.6/24 was the second-highest two-day Masters average since 1981's 9.1/24. The tournament has been the highest-rated golf tournament for two decades, and CBS host Jim Nantz doesn't see that changing. "We all know the ratings are an awful fickle thing to deal with," Nantz said, referring to the low ratings for the recent men's NCAA Tournament final. "In the end, after it’s all washed out, this will be the most-watched golf tournament of the year. "I don’t think that we’ll ever see numbers in the stratosphere of 1997 [an overall rating of 14.1/31 for Tiger's historic win], but it’ll certainly do a fine number," Nantz said in a conference call Tuesday. CBS, with 43 years of experience, doesn't plan many changes to its coverage. The eye network will place a camera on a higher-than-normal platform at the 15th hole, which also will cover the 17th tee and second shots. CBS also will have a camera - similar to the one that captured Mark O'Meara's famous winning putt last year with the crowd rising in the background - permanently stationed at 18. “We have a couple [more] cameras here and there, but they are the two main [changes]," said Lance Barrow, CBS coordinating producer of golf, who is handling his third Masters telecast. Of course, another major change from CBS' usual golf coverage is the absence of Gary McCord, who has been banished from Augusta National since 1994, when his comments about "bikini wax" and "body bags" were considered too irreverent by tournament officials. CBS distanced itself Tuesday from reigniting any controversy. "In my mind, when I took over as coordinating producer of golf, we had a certain team in place and that’s what we have maintained over the last two years," Barrow said. "We add Verne Lundquist this year, and [we’re] just going to keep it that way." Nantz, though, said he's afraid that CBS may lose the 50-year-old McCord for more than just The Masters, given his partner's win at the Toshiba Senior Classic on the Senior PGA Tour in March. "The
fear is Gary has a game to win a whole lot of times out there,"
Nantz said. "Somehow I hope he can keep the balance to where
we still have him on our team, but my fear is he’s going to win
so many times that it’s going to be hard for him to stay away from
competition." The final difference in CBS coverage this year is the absence of Jack Nicklaus, who will be missing his first Masters in 40 years as he recuperates from left hip replacement surgery in January. Nantz said, "I heard him say yesterday that whether it was 1959 or 1998, every time he has ridden in a car up Magnolia Lane, entering the grounds of Augusta National, it’s been just as exciting for him that feeling that overcomes any player when they arrive here. He’s had it every year. "I think that’s part of what makes [The Masters] special." CBS begins its Masters coverage with highlight shows Thursday and Friday nights from 11:35-11:50 ET. USA Networks will show the first two rounds from 4-6:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and then replay them from 9-11:30 at night. CBS takes over live coverage Saturday from 3:30-6 p.m. and continues Sunday with final-round action from 4-7 p.m. Back
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