2017 Masters First Round Ratings Down 12 Percent

Pete Dougherty reports that ESPN's first round telecast of The Masters drew a 1.5 rating, down 12% from a 1.7 in 2016.

The causes could be chalked up to any number things, from ESPN's drop in subscriber homes, to streaming syphoning off viewers, to the loss of Dustin Johnson and Tiger Woods from the field.

Also worth nothing was ESPN's second round telecast ending and not including any postgame show or tournament highlights from Tom Rinaldi and Andy North at ESPN's dedicated set.

Instead the network followed with a 30-minute SC6, a personality-driven Sportscenter spinoff which focused not on the Masters, but instead, on LaVar Ball's controversial remarks.