After a rough first half of the season, PGA Tour ratings have picked up in recent weeks.
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour at Boston earned a 2.0 rating and 2.9 million viewers on NBC Monday afternoon, up a third in ratings and 27% in viewership from last year (1.5, 2.3M) and flat and down 1% respectively from 2015 (2.0, 3.0M).
Justin Thomas‘ win, in which Jordan Spieth finished second, tied the highest rating for the event since 2013 (2.2).
Monday’s telecast was the sixth straight PGA window on broadcast television to post an increase in ratings and viewership. Dating back to Spieth’s win at the Hartford Open in June, 12 of 19 windows that can be compared to last year have increased. Compare that to earlier in the season, when 29 straight telecasts declined. It should be noted that the recent upturn in ratings only goes so far. Compared to 2015, only two of the past 19 windows have increased.
Sunday’s third round window posted a 1.7 and 2.4 million, up 31% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year (1.9, 2.7M) but down 6% and 9% respectively from 2015 (1.8, 2.7M). Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had 924,000 viewers on Sunday (+29%) and 554,000 on Monday (+11%).
[Numbers from NBC Sports, ShowBuzz Daily 9.6]
