Tiger Woods may have the week off, but that has not slowed the PGA ratings roll. In other news, moving from ESPN to ESPN2 sank the NCAA wrestling finals, the Yankees continue to move the needle in spring training, and Premier League viewership was mixed last weekend.
No Tiger, But PGA Viewership Climbs at Match Play
The first two days of the PGA-WGC Match Play Championship averaged 514,000 viewers on Golf Channel, up 32% from last year (390K) and up 13% from 2016 (453K). Coverage drew 557,000 viewers on Thursday (+22%) and 472,000 on Wednesday (+49%).
NCAA Wrestling Finals Hits Six-Year Low
The final night of the NCAA wrestling championships had a 0.34 rating and 628,000 viewers on ESPN2 Saturday night, down 8% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (0.37, 735K) and down 6% and 4% respectively from 2016 (0.36, 655K). It was the smallest audience for the final night since 2012 (554K). Prior to this year, the final night aired on ESPN.
Semifinal coverage last Friday had a 0.26 (-13%) and 451,000 (+2%) on ESPN.
Yankees Moving Needle Nationally and Locally
Thursday’s Yankees-Twins MLB spring training game earned 285,000 viewers on ESPN2, up 11% from Rays-Yankees in the same window last year, which aired on ESPN (257K).
Meanwhile, last Sunday’s Marlins-Yankees game had 2.05 rating on YES Network in New York — the RSN’s fourth-best spring training rating on record.
EPL Mixed on Light Week
On a light day in the Premier League, last Saturday’s Watford-Liverpool match had 294,000 viewers on NBCSN — up 11% from Swansea-Aston Villa in 2016 (266K). There comparable week of last season consisted of weekday matches. Earlier in the day, Crystal Palace-Huddersfield had 256,000 (-40%).
