It’s still all about Tiger Woods when it comes to golf ratings.
The final round earned a 4.9/10 rating, a 23% increase from last year. The rating eclipses two major tournaments last year-The British Open and PGA Championship-which Woods did not play in because of knee surgery. – via Broadcasting & Cable
There are a lot of networks who are very happy (perhaps relieved) that Tiger is back, and back to his winning ways. Among them are ESPN and CBS. ESPN will air coverage of The Masters’ first two rounds on Thursday and Friday, and CBS will air the weekend coverage. It is notable that the tune-up tournament for Tiger this past weekend at Bay Hill — not a major tournament outrated both the British Open and PGA Championship without Tiger.
I’m still not sure I understand the appeal of watching golf.
It is however interesting that Tiger Woods apparently = ratings. Do American’s just like to see an American winning? I mean, its not like he does anything exciting or unexpected… does he?
It’s because he has celebrity. While he may no longer be so impressive, when he first started winning he was the youngest golfer to win whatever it was he was winning. (I don’t follow golf so I have no idea.) That celebrity stuck with him, so people will watch him and root for him.
Alex, Julia’s right. it’s definitely not just about being American. Tiger is effectively the Michael Jordan of golf. Jordan was an ambassador for the NBA who got many people who didn’t care about basketball to watch. It’s similar with Tiger. Phil Mickelson is American and participated in The British Open and PGA Championship and not as many people watched.
Julia, “While he may no longer be so impressive”? I beg to differ.
The man won the US Open with a broken leg. Came back after a year off having fixed the leg and won the third event he entered. To me that’s impressive.
Edit: But you admitted non golf fanhood, so I understand
How come there is no listing of the weekly top 20 sports programming anymore?
E, we haven’t done the top 20 sports list in quite some time. There just wasn’t the interest in it to make it worthwhile, because it was also a bit extra tricky to produce, and by the time the data came out most people weren’t interested.
I actually did hear about the broken leg, but if Tiger Woods was some nobody, do you think anyone would care that he won with a broken leg? I just meant he’s not so impressive because he’s no longer the youngest golfer out there.
“I just meant he’s not so impressive because he’s no longer the youngest golfer out there.”
But he is able to win a lot, which makes it interesting. As he gets closer to the record, ratings will spike even more.
Just a teeny, tiny nitpick: ESPN airs the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday, then CBS airs the third and fourth rounds on Saturday and Sunday. Thanks for the rating news!
Alana, not so teeny tiny :-/ But it’s fixed now
Julia, the whole reason Tiger isn’t just some nobody is because he is still the greatest golfer of all time. He’s won something like 11 of the last 18 tournaments he has been in, mostly in dramatic fashion. This is the second year in a row he won this specific tournament by sinking a 20 foot birdie putt on the final hole.
Not only is he still impressive, he’s more impressive now than he has ever been, winning more often and in more amazing ways than ever before.
By the way, he’s also a lure for African Americans, a portion of the audience that normally is not interested in golf in general. Tiger brings millions of people to the tube who would simply not watch at all if he were not playing, let alone winning. In a world of shrinking ratings, Tiger Woods may just be the single most significant factor in determining ratings across all of television. No other single factor determines swings up and down in the ratins like Tiger and/or his abscence.
Tiger Woods is without a doubt the best golfer in the history of golf, (not opinion, that is a fact) And when he can sink 16 foot puts, more than just 1nce twice and even three times, it gets to be, “This guy is Unreal” I’m not a big Golf watcher but if I flip through it, its just amazing the things Tiger pulls off, it really is!
Justin, you are not alone. Tiger approximately doubles the TV ratings of a tournament he’s playing in.
Tiger…Enough said. I don’t bother with golf when Tiger is not playing. I’m not a golf fan. Tiger was the one who made me start watching golf. The man has such a powerful presence when he’s playing
The reason Tiger appeals to me is simple: He is the most dominant athlete I have seen in my lifetime. In any sport (I’m only 20, and Jordan never dominated basketball like Tiger dominates golf). He is just so much better than every other golfer, and I sit and watch him in amazement. There wasn’t a shred of doubt in my mind that the put on 18 on Sunday was going in. That’s Tiger. That’s what he does. He’s truly the best ever at his sport.
Jesse, it’s funny you say there wasn’t a shred of doubt in your mind – that must’ve been you getting some ESP from Tiger cause you can pretty much guarantee there wasn’t a shred of doubt in his mind.