Donovan McNabb and the State of Football
The Masters concluded on Sunday, and despite being the most prestigious tournament on the PGA Tour, a report suggested the tournament would bring in $18 million less than this year’s U.S. Open.
According to Forbes, the first major of 2022 is expected to generate $142 million in revenue, while the U.S. Open, the third major of the year, can expect $160 million.
The report breaks down where The Masters revenue comes from, noting that there are no numbers for domestic TV rights or sponsorship revenue:
- Merchandise: $69 million
- Badges: $39 million
- International TV rights: $25 million
- Concessions: $8 million
The Masters generates no domestic TV revenue. CBS and ESPN reportedly allow Augusta complete control of the broadcast in exchange for no compensation. Comparatively, the U.S. Open receives $15 million from sponsorship deals and $93 million from domestic TV rights deals.
Augusta has no signage either and only six sponsors for the tournament: AT&T, Delta, IBM, Rolex, UPS, and Mercedes-Benz.
Winner’s Share
The Forbes report calculated that The Masters missed out on a total of $269 million by not maximizing revenue potential. Domestic TV rights, for example, could fetch at least $100 million.
One person who didn’t miss out: Scottie Scheffler. The 25-year-old took home $2.7 million of an $15 million purse for his Masters win — the first major victory of his career.
