Men’s Golf Ratings Decline: Is It ‘PGA Tour vs LIV’ Fatigue or a Deeper Crisis?

Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka went head-to-head in a dramatic playoff at Greenbrier, with Koepka clinching his fifth LIV Golf victory, surpassing his PGA Tour titles. Meanwhile, Hideki Matsuyama secured his second win of the season, days after being robbed at a London airport. Yet, despite the thrilling on-course action, the numbers tell a different story.

LIV Golf’s event on CW drew a mere 165,000 viewers, while Pro Pickleball’s Bristol Open outperformed it with 295,000 viewers on Fox Sports. The FedEx St. Jude Championship, traditionally a strong draw, saw a 30% drop in viewership from last year, attracting just over 2.2 million viewers. This decline raises a critical question: Is there too much golf, or are fans simply fatigued?

LIV Golf Greenbrier on CW:

Saturday (1-6P): 136K
Sunday (1-6:11P): 165K

Pro Pickleball Association Bristol Open Sunday at 1P on Fox: 295K

— Sports TV Ratings (@SportsTVRatings) August 20, 2024

The Open Championship also recorded its lowest TV ratings since 2015, despite featuring the world’s top players. Even with LIV’s increasing presence in the U.S., fans appear less engaged, and the split between LIV and PGA Tour events might be to blame.

As the golf world evolves, streaming services are becoming a popular alternative for fans. With the ease and flexibility of streaming, traditional TV viewership is taking a hit. But does the shift to digital platforms fully account for the drop in ratings, or is something more significant happening within the sport?

Golf’s viewership decline is a real threat, and the industry must adapt. As streaming grows in popularity, it’s time to rethink how we measure success in the sport.