Moving out of the NFL’s shadow paid off for the BMW Championship.
Sunday’s final round of the PGA Tour BMW Championship, the second event in the FedEx Cup, averaged a 2.1 rating and 3.15 million viewers on NBC — marking the highest rated and most-watched round of the tournament since the final round in 2012 (2.5, 3.6M). That year, Phil Mickelson won and Tiger Woods finished third.
Not counting majors, Justin Thomas‘ win was the most-watched PGA Tour telecast since Saturday coverage of the WGC Match Play in March (3.18M). It also tied as the highest rated, matching the final round of the Memorial in June.
Ratings increased 65% (from 1.25) and viewership 68% (from 1.87M) compared to 2017. Last year’s final round was postponed to Monday due to rain.
Thanks to the revamped PGA Tour schedule, which moved the tournament up by about a month, the telecast faced far less formidable NFL competition than in the past. Instead of airing opposite the usual slate of regular season games, it faced a mere preseason game on CBS (2.5, 3.93M).
Woods’ presence likely played a role as well, even though he finished in a tie for 37th. Due to last year’s rain delay, this year marked his first Sunday appearance at the tournament since 2013.
Third round action on Saturday averaged a 1.7 and 2.39 million, flat in ratings and down 2% in viewership from last year (1.7, 2.43M), but up 55% and 41% respectively from 2017 (1.1, 1.70M).
Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had a 0.7 (+103%) and 1.12 million (+113%) on Sunday, with those comparisons to 2017. Saturday coverage had a 0.5 and 764,000, down 42% and 47% respectively from a later window last year (0.9, 1.45M).
[Nielsen estimates via ShowBuzz Daily 8.20]
