Media

PGA Tour Viewership Numbers Are On The Rise

This year, the Tour created six “designated” events with more at stake than ever, from prize purses to points.
As a result, viewership is up across the board, according to Sports Business Journal.

Apr 13, 2023 | 04:47 pm

UPDATED Apr 14, 2023 | 08:50 am

Sandy Lyle tees off on 10 to start the final round of the Galleri Classic in Rancho Mirage, Calif., Sunday, March 26, 2023.

Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun

The PGA Tour’s adjustments to compete with LIV Golf look like they’re working.

This year, the Tour created six designated events with more at stake than ever, whether in the form of prize purses or points. Already, viewership is up across the board, according to Sports Business Journal.

All but one one of the six events have enjoyed viewership increases on Golf Channel, CBS, and NBC.
Golf Channel has seen a 15% increase this year.
CBS is averaging 4% more viewers this year compared with last year, with just under 3 million.
NBC has also experienced a modest increase at 3%.
The Masters’ final round saw an increase of 19% on CBS.

‘Drive to Survive’ Effect

Live events make up just one of the many success stories for the PGA Tour.

Social media has gotten a 31% uptick in engagement, and ESPN+’s coverage of the Tour has gone up as well.

Even the Tour’s docuseries version of “Drive to Survive,” called “Full Swing,” has gained steam. The week of Feb. 19, the show was in Netflix’s Top 10 in the U.S. That same week, the show also made the top-10 list on Netflix for the entire globe.