It’s no longer too early to call it a slump.
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour at Bay Hill scored a 1.4 final rating and 2.1 million viewers on NBC Sunday afternoon, down 26% in ratings and 27% in viewership from last year (1.9, 2.9M) and down 22% and 19% respectively from 2015 (1.8, 2.6M).
The telecast tied the lowest final round rating at Bay Hill since at least 1997, matching 2014. It was the least-watched since the same 2014 tournament (1.9M).
Ratings and viewership have now declined for seven straight final round windows on broadcast, the past six by double-digits. Bay Hill was the fourth of those to hit a multi-year low.
Third round coverage on Saturday had a 1.1 and 1.6 million, flat in ratings and down 3% in viewership from last year (1.1, 1.7M) but actually up a tick and 14% respectively from 2015 (1.0, 1.4M). Overall, the past nine PGA Tour windows on broadcast — and 11 of the past 13 — have posted a decline in viewership.
Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had a 0.4 and 577,000 on Sunday, down a tick in ratings and 19% in viewership from last year (0.5, 715K) and flat and down 8% respectively from 2015 (0.4, 621K). Saturday coverage pulled a 0.35 and 509,000; year-over-year comparisons were not available.
| 2017 PGA TOUR RATINGS/VIEWERSHIP ON BROADCAST Through Bay Hill |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | Net | Round | Rtg. | Vwrs. | vs. 2016 | |
| Rtg. | Vwrs. | |||||
| Torrey Pines | CBS | Third | 1.2 | 1.90M | +20% | +35% |
| Final | 2.0 | 3.08M | +33% | +35% | ||
| Phoenix Open | CBS | Third | 1.5 | 2.26M | +7% | +9% |
| Final | 1.9 | 3.13M | -10% | -6% | ||
| Pebble Beach | CBS | Third | 1.8 | 2.67M | +13% | +11% |
| Final | 2.7 | 4.23M | -16% | -13% | ||
| L.A. Open | CBS | Third | 1.5 | 2.24M | +15% | +17% |
| Final | 2.0 | 3.04M | -13% | -16% | ||
| Honda Classic | NBC | Third | 1.2 | 1.84M | -14% | -13% |
| Final | 1.8 | 2.76M | -14% | -13% | ||
| WGC-Mexico | NBC | Third | 1.6 | 2.49M | -11% | -2% |
| Final | 2.2 | 3.46M | -15% | -14% | ||
| Tampa Bay | NBC | Third | 1.1 | 1.65M | -8% | -8% |
| Final | 1.5 | 2.29M | -25% | -22% | ||
| Bay Hill | NBC | Third | 1.1 | 1.60M | flat | -3% |
| Final | 1.4 | 2.12M | -26% | -27% | ||
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 3.21)
