For the fourth straight week, Sunday PGA Tour coverage was no match for last year.
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Honda Classic had a 1.8 final rating and 2.8 million viewers on NBC last Sunday, down 14% in ratings and 13% in viewership from last year (2.1, 3.2M) but up 6% and 5% respectively from 2015 (1.7, 2.6M). It topped only 2015 as the lowest rated and least-watched final round of the event since 2011 (1.7, 2.5M).
The past four PGA Tour tournaments have posted declines for final round coverage, with double-digit declines for the past three.
Keep in mind Sunday’s decline comes with a caveat. Coverage aired directly opposite the NASCAR Daytona 500 (6.6, 11.9M) while last year’s telecast faced the lower-rated Atlanta 500 (4.1, 6.8M).
Despite the lower numbers, the final round topped all non-Daytona sporting events last weekend.
Third round coverage last Saturday pulled a 1.2 (-14%) and 1.8 million (-13%). Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had a 0.5 (flat) and 717,000 (-6%) on Saturday and a 0.65 (+7%) and 978,000 (+12%) on Sunday.
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 2.28)
