Though down from last year’s Tiger Woods-fueled highs, Players Championship ratings held up well on a crowded sports weekend.
Last Sunday’s final round of The Players Championship had a 2.8 rating and 4.19 million viewers on NBC, down 22% in ratings and 27% in viewership from last year (3.6, 5.77M), but up 22% and 14% respectively from 2017 (2.3, 3.69M). Prior to this year, the tournament took place in May from 2006-18.
Last year’s final round, which saw Woods surge into contention and finish in a tie for 11th, was the highest rated and most-watched since 2013. Woods finished in a tie for 30th this year.
Though down from last year, ratings and viewership were the highest of the young PGA Tour season. The previous marks were a 2.6 for the final round of the L.A. Open, and 4.08 million for the final round of the Phoenix Open.
The Players ranked second for the weekend among sports programs behind only the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on CBS (3.7, 6.2M). Head-to-head, it topped the NASCAR Cup Series on FOX (2.5, 4.18M), the Big Ten Tournament Final on CBS (2.4, 3.94M), and more-than-doubled ABC’s Sixers-Bucks NBA game (1.3, 1.95M).
Third round coverage last Saturday had a 2.1 and 3.14 million, down 6% in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year (2.25, 3.36M), and down 11% and 12% respectively from 2017 (1.9, 2.82M).
Shifting to Golf Channel, last Friday’s second round delivered a 0.7 rating and 999,000 viewers (+3%). It was the only round of the tournament to increase over last year.
[Numbers from NBC Sports PR, Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 3.20]
