As always, Tiger Woods was a winner — not only on the golf course, but in the television ratings as well.
The 3.5 overnight for Woods’ victory at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championships is a 67% jump over the 2.1 overnight for the same event last year — when Woods was eliminated before the weekend. The 3.5 is the highest for the championship match since 2004, when the event drew a 5.0. Coincidentally, 2004 was also the last year Woods won the event.
Overall, NBC’s coverage of the Accenture Match Play Championships averaged a 3.4 overnight rating, up 79% from last year.
While those increases are huge, the ratings are not up to par with what Tiger Woods usually attracts. When Woods won the event in 2003 and 2004, the overnight ratings were substantially higher, drawing 5.9% and 5% of metered markets, respectively. By comparison, the 3.5 for his ’08 victory seems mediocre.
Comparing today’s ratings to those of four years ago may be unfair. For a better comparison, one need only look at the recent Buick Invitational in January. That final round of that event, which Woods won, drew a 4.2 rating — another solid number, but down 21% from Woods’ win the previous year, and down 28% from his win two years ago.
Even Woods’ major victories are drawing fewer eyeballs than in previous years. His win at the PGA Championship last August drew a 6.2 rating, down 11% from the 7.0 his win the previous year drew, and the third-lowest rating ever for one of his major victories. Woods first six majors (from the ’97 Masters to the ’01 Masters) averaged a 9.6 rating. His last six (from the ’02 Masters to the ’07 PGA) averaged a 6.9, down 28%.
Is America starting to get bored with arguably the most dominant athlete of this era? If so, the PGA at least has the consolation of knowing that Woods can still draw a big audience — even if that audience is shrinking.
