PGA Tour viewership has generally been on the upswing this season, with the two most recent tournaments having increases for third and final round coverage.
Final round coverage of the Byron Nelson Championship earned a 1.4 final rating and 2.199 million viewers on CBS last Sunday, down a tick in ratings but up 3% in viewership from last year (1.5, 2.139M), and up 17% and 25%, respectively, from 2009 (1.2, 1.757M).
The day before, third round action drew a 1.1 and 1.449 million viewers, up 22% in ratings and 16% in viewership from last year (0.9, 1.250M), and up 22% and 13%, respectively, from ’09 (0.9, 1.288M).
The increases were much larger for the Crowne Plaza Invitational one week earlier.
Final round coverage of the tournament drew a 1.9 final rating and 2.858 million viewers on CBS May 22, up a whopping 111% in ratings and 142% in viewership from last year (0.9, 1.179M). Third round coverage on May 21 drew a 1.1 and 1.563 million, up 38% and 50%, respectively, from last year (0.8, 1.039M).
Since The Masters, ratings have either increased or held steady for nine of fourteen PGA Tour windows on broadcast. Viewership has increased or held steady for ten of those fourteen.
Keep in mind Tiger Woods has only played in one tournament since The Masters, The Players Championship. He withdrew from that event before weekend play.
Golf Ratings/Viewership on Broadcast Since The Masters
|
Dates
|
Net
|
Tournament
|
Round
|
2011
|
2010
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
||||
| Sat., 4/16/11 | CBS | Texas Open |
Third
|
0.9
|
1,289
|
0.8
|
1,068
|
| Sun., 4/17/11 |
Final
|
1.2
|
1,796
|
1.3
|
1,840
|
||
| Sat., 4/23/11 | CBS | Verizon Heritage |
Third
|
1.3
|
1,801
|
1.0
|
1,372
|
| Sun., 4/24/11 |
Final
|
1.9
|
2,960
|
1.9
|
2,772
|
||
| Sat., 4/30/11 | CBS | Zurich Classic of New Orleans |
Third
|
1.1
|
1,539
|
1.1
|
1,454
|
| Sun., 5/1/11 |
Final
|
1.9
|
2,794
|
1.3
|
1,973
|
||
| Sat., 5/7/11 | CBS | Quail Hollow Championship |
Third
|
1.2
|
1,582
|
1.3
|
1,800
|
| Sun., 5/8/11 |
Final
|
1.8
|
2,624
|
2.2
|
3,196
|
||
| Sat., 5/14/11 | NBC | The Players Championship |
Third
|
1.4
|
2,132
|
2.3
|
3,336
|
| Sun., 5/15/11 |
Final
|
3.1
|
4,672
|
3.0
|
4,664
|
||
| Sat., 5/21/11 | CBS | Crowne Plaza Invitational |
Third
|
1.1
|
1,563
|
0.8
|
1,039
|
| Sun., 5/22/11 |
Final
|
1.9
|
2,858
|
0.9
|
1,179
|
||
| Sat., 5/28/11 | CBS | Byron Nelson Championship |
Third
|
1.1
|
1,449
|
0.9
|
1,250
|
| Sun., 5/29/11 |
Final
|
1.4
|
2,199
|
1.5
|
2,139
|
||
(Byron Nelson Championship numbers courtesy Robert Seidman, TV By the Numbers; Crowne Plaza Invitational numbers from Media Life Magazine)
