TV numbers down for PGA Tour in 2024. Will new Nielsen data help?

**By Sports Business Journal**  

*Editor’s note: This article was written by Josh Carpenter and first appeared in Sports Business Journal, the premier source for sports business news, events, and data.*

The PGA Tour had several significant storylines in 2024, including Scottie Scheffler's impressive run with seven wins and Xander Schauffele finally clinching his first two major championships. However, a less favorable narrative emerged regarding the tour’s television ratings.

The conversation around viewership became increasingly prominent throughout the year, with Rory McIlroy even commenting on the “jarring” declines noted in the spring.

Analyzing the numbers, the tour averaged 2.2 million viewers for its Sunday broadcasts (excluding majors) in 2024, a 19% decrease from 2.7 million in 2023. When including majors, the average rises to 2.8 million on Sundays. Saturday viewership averaged 1.5 million, down 17% from last year’s 1.8 million.

On NBC, the overall average viewership for all tour events (excluding streaming) was just over 2 million, a 5% drop from last year’s weekend rounds on NBC, which did not feature the playoffs, as those were aired by CBS in 2023.

For Sunday only, NBC’s average was 2.35 million in 2024, down 2% from 2023. Excluding the three FedEx Cup Playoff events, this average would drop to 1.98 million, representing a 6% decrease from the previous year.

On CBS, the tour averaged 1.79 million viewers across 16 events and 30 weekend telecasts (two rounds were not played due to weather), marking a 17% decline from last year’s 2.17 million across 21 events, which included the FedEx Cup Playoffs. If the postseason events were removed from the 2023 figures, the average would be 2.09 million, resulting in a 14% drop this year.

Several factors likely contributed to these declines. A weather-related cancellation of the final round at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and delays during the WM Phoenix Open, which coincided with Super Bowl halftime, were notable issues. Other tournaments faced Monday finishes due to weather, including the Cognizant Classic and the RBC Heritage. Additionally, the Paris Olympics this summer may have diverted viewership away from certain events.

A significant element in the ongoing ratings challenge has been the impact of LIV Golf. The PGA Tour continued to see notable absences, including stars like Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, and Phil Mickelson, who have joined LIV. Furthermore, many fans expressed fatigue with the protracted conflict between the two tours, particularly as this season marked the first full year of the PGA's negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.