Before Tiger Woods hobbled off into the sunset, the PGA Tour was experiencing some of its best ratings. In fact, Sunday's round of the U.S. Open drew more viewers (10.0/20) than the competing NBA Finals Game 5 (9.0/16). But everything went to hell as soon as Woods announced he'd be taking a sabbatical the rest of the 2008 season.
Since [the U.S. Open], however, golf's TV ratings have fallen into the abyss. Despite Padraig Harrington's thrilling victory on Sunday at Oakland Hills, the overnight rating for the PGA Championship was 3.0, down 55% from last year's final round at Southern Hills - an event won by (surely you recall) Woods.This is all very troubling because it's not like the British Open and PGA Championships were ho-hum affairs won in mind-numbingly boring fashion. On Sunday at Royal Birkdale, Harrington played inspired golf on the back nine on his way to back-to-back Claret Jugs.
And last week, Sergio Garcia had a chance to win his first major before, you guessed it, Harrington toughed his way around the course to win back-to-back majors, which seems like a pretty big story.
Maybe, but not to the casual fans who tune in to see Eldrick, even if he's in 20th place, 10 shots off the lead.
There's no easy solution to this problem, but at some point PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem is going to have to plan for the eventuality that Tiger Woods will retire. I would suggest that maybe Phil Mickelson would finally get his chance to shine, but this summer proves that Tiger's got nothing to do with how he plays.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-12-2008 @ 2:46PM
david zacher said...
Its not only Tigers absence but the lack of a charismatic American. We had Greg Norman at the British and because of his past performance ,his marraige to Chris Evert it brought viewerss in . The PGA had Phil for awhile but until a guy steps up I fear golf is going to go into the doldrums. Can you imagine the Ryder Cup. I hope we make a better showing than last time.
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8-12-2008 @ 4:32PM
gerri henderson said...
why is the PGA considered a major when you have 15% (20) of the field devoted to club pros who have no chance of making the cut let alone winning
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8-12-2008 @ 5:13PM
Tiger said...
There are many up and comming young Afro-american golfers that can be featured. (Granted, not as good as Eldrick) Let's work on that, since it seems to be the general competative nature of the game nowadays.
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8-12-2008 @ 5:49PM
Angelo Casarola said...
It is amazing to me that Tiger's presence in a tournament is such a ratings booster. I think there is less excitement when he plays, because the outcome in practically a foregone conclusion. Who wants to see the same guy win every week? Not me! I truly enjoyed the last two majors, and anyone who didn't isn't really a golf fan, but a Tiger fan.
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8-12-2008 @ 6:33PM
Michael said...
Yea right. You sound like the type that enjoys watching the grass grow. Let's face it. Who's watching golf when Tiger is not playing. The ratings speak for themselves.
8-18-2008 @ 2:47PM
Jesse said...
If your a golf fan and you don't understand what Tiger has done for the tour and golf then your not a golf fan. How can you possibly not understand. A true golf fan understands what it takes to be great. Your great because a player like Tiger tees it up to win. He has done that better then anyone else. It reflects on the rating and the tour events he doesn't play. Tiger is the tour and most players know that. The tour has to have a Superstar to make it worth watching throughout the year. What part of that do you not understand?
8-12-2008 @ 6:43PM
Dave said...
I consider myself a big fan of golf and Tiger. I did watch (and enjoy) the last two majors. However, I enjoy golf a lot more when Tiger is playing, mainly because it is usually an awesome display of golf. It doesn't bother me if he goes into the final round with the lead. When he's playing at the top of his game - he leaves you speechless. As far as seeing more competetion - I agree it would be better for golf if those behind Tiger were a little closer. But I would prefer to see the others take a step towards Tiger, not the other way around!
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8-13-2008 @ 11:46AM
Ernie Hite said...
I watch every tournament, and it was good to see the cameras on other players. I don't like watching four hours of Tiger woods. Until Tiger reaches Gary Players 162 wins, Gary is the greatest player every and never recognized because he is from South Africa.
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8-13-2008 @ 3:53AM
Michael J. said...
We all knew the golf Channel would also suffer in ratings. They deserve the major drop off for continuing to keep their anti-semitic & rascist female commentator. It always will come back to bite you.
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8-13-2008 @ 10:41AM
Bob said...
I enjoy golf just more when Tiger is playing. Maybe if they had better commentators it would be more enjoyable. Especially they should lose Johnny Miller, it's hard to listen to a loser who choked in his career comment on the way REAL golfers are playing.
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8-13-2008 @ 11:55PM
bill said...
If Miller in his prime played todays tour he'd win five times a year, maybe a major or two to add to his total. Cink, Toms Weekley Austin Mahan do you think they have Millers' game? JM would be in the top five in the world, and ratings would be better.
8-13-2008 @ 11:45AM
ken said...
Ratings are up when Tiger plays because everyone wants to see what he might do. That enables all viewers to see just how skilled ALL these golfers are. Lets all hope he is ready by the Masters, which would mean Tiger trying to stop a Padraig slam. Oh, and Michael J...... I am sure you have never made an off color,anti nationality comment about anyone in your life. Remember Nick started the conversation regarding a group "ganging" up on Tiger to beat him. If was taken way too far by way to many people. Get a life.
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8-13-2008 @ 2:09PM
Tony C said...
I am a rabid golf fan and have been for decades. Tiger Woods is the most exciting player I have ever seen and it is no wonder people don't watch when he is not around. However, this problem could be minimized if the Golf Channel would show fewer commericals, do less "personal" stories, stop going to "golf central" every 30 minutes, and just show golf. Because of these items, I turn off thier telecasts most of the time because they are terminally boring. If they are turninng me away, I can't imagine what they do to casual viewers.
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8-13-2008 @ 3:35PM
Jesse Martinez said...
In any major sport there always has to be at least one or more super talent to make that sport worth watching. You have a team that has several major stars to see win or lose. Teams like New England, the Yankees, the Lakers all have super stars. There also has to be teams that are on the rise. There has to be young major talent worth watching.
When the Cowboys, Steelers, 49ers were at there peak there was always excitment.
Golf is a special sport. Your either a golf fan or you think it's boring. When Tiger came along it changed everything. Like him or not he turn golf into a major sport. Without him it's back to the way it was before he came. You have to love golf to watch it.
Are we ready to watch the Europeans and the Asians take over the PGA and LPGA?. It's already happening.
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8-14-2008 @ 9:57AM
Ken S said...
Jesse makes great points. For years Jack Nicklaus was why many tuned in. Even my wife, who is not a real golf fan, loves to watch Tiger. His skills and overall imagination lead to shot making, the likes of which, have not been seen before, nor, due to his strength, could even be contemplated by practically anyone else. He has also made the game a sport with prerequisite athleticism vs the aged debate as to it being only a "game". He has a great smile etc but if he did not make the shots, the crowds and the ratings would not follow.
The best new players are ineed, for the most part, not American but not sure why. With the level of interest and the infrastructure in place with all the other tours and the level of technical analysis within the USGA and PGA. Tiger would not be the sensation if he did not make the shots. Ben Hogan was never much of a social animal but wowed them with shot making. Make the young Americans better shot makers and ratings will follow.
The money may also have something to do with it. Playing to win does not have the same incentive with the kind of money second place and lower finishes pay.
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8-14-2008 @ 10:20AM
7devil1 said...
Mr. Woods legally changed his name from Eldrick to Tiger in 1996.
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8-14-2008 @ 12:18PM
Don A. said...
The PGA really shouldn't be a major. It's clearly the 4th "major" and the obscene size of the trophy is reflective of it's inferiority compared to the other 3. Besides, golf is a world sport--having 3 of the 4 majors in the US is more about marketing than anything...replace the PGA with the Australian Open or some other event around the world.
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8-14-2008 @ 8:10PM
matt said...
Tiger is golf. No tiger, no tv for me.
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8-16-2008 @ 9:04PM
Ironmunk said...
I like golf. I love watching the majors whoever is leading. Tiger is definitely a draw but the last two majors were equally enjoyable watching Paddy do his thing. Maybe there's too much fan rivalry going on. Does it really matter whether its an American who plays a great tournament? Personally it's great to see guys like Greg Norman still threatening. I was a fan of Americans Jack and Arnie when they were playing, but I still cheered for S. African Gary Player when he was winning. Tiger delivers on the course and makes it exciting. This coupled with the fact that the man definitely has class makes for a strong draw. But Golf is not one country or one man. So why bad ratings? Let's look to the media as usual: "If Tiger is out, is there any reason to watch?" Blah, Blah, Blah. The media creates its own negative market opinion, then jumps on it. They have rewritten an old adage. They now adher to:" If you can't say something positive, then say something negative." Because saying nothing at all doesn't achieve the desired affect.
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8-16-2008 @ 11:48PM
isidro garcia said...
I didn't think I would watch much Golf after Tiger announced he would be out for the year but I'm glad I did, what with A. Kim coming of age, the Shark rolling back time, and Paddy winning back to back majors. Great story lines all. Of course all were temporary respites and only the Ryder Cup will hold ANY kind of interest .
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