With several stars absent, overnights for the Arnold Palmer Invitational were the lowest in at least 19 years.
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour at Bay Hill scored a 1.5 overnight rating on NBC Sunday afternoon, down 32% from last year (2.2), down 29% from 2015 (2.1) and the lowest overnight for final round coverage of the tournament since at least 1998. The previous low over that span was a 1.6 in 2010.
As recently as five years ago, Tiger Woods‘ victory at the event pulled a whopping 4.8 overnight.
Third round action the previous day had a 1.2, down a tick from both last year and 2013 (1.3) and tied as the lowest for third round coverage since at least ’98.
No doubt contributing to the lower numbers was the absence of stars Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson — to say nothing of Woods, whose absence is expected these days. World #1 Dustin Johnson also missed the event, though he is not one of golf’s bigger TV draws.
The multi-year low at Bay Hill was part of a rough weekend for non-NCAA Tournament sports. The NBA on ABC earned its lowest ever overnight rating on Saturday, and NASCAR’s Phoenix race earned its lowest-ever overnight on Sunday.
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily 3.20)
