In the final round of the 2025 American Express, TV viewing figures were significantly down compared to previous years, with Sepp Straka ultimately claiming victory. Carpenter reported that only 232,000 viewers tuned in to watch Straka’s win, a stark contrast to the 534,000 viewers who watched Nick Dunlap’s victory in 2024 and the 391,000 viewers who watched Jon Rahm win in 2023. The lack of a strong competition from other players and the scheduling of a divisional play-off NFL game likely contributed to the low viewership numbers.
The Eagles vs Rams NFL game, which kicked off around the same time as the American Express final round, likely drew attention away from the golf event, further reducing viewership numbers. In 2024, over 90% of the top 200 most-watched telecasts in the USA were sports-related, with over 125 of those being NFL-related. Golf struggled to compete for viewership, even with its most popular event being the final round of The Masters.
The Farmers Insurance Open is the only PGA Tour event scheduled for Wednesday through Saturday, likely due to the challenges faced by the American Express and other events in attracting viewers. Issues such as player withdrawals, slow pace of play, and declining TV ratings have been ongoing concerns for the PGA Tour. The trend of sliding TV ratings is not unique to golf, as other sports leagues have also experienced downturns in viewership.
Despite a promising start to the tech-infused league, the TGL’s week three match-up between New York and Atlanta Drive saw a 30% decrease in viewership compared to the first two weeks. However, the upcoming clash between Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common GC and Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links GC is expected to generate significant interest and potentially reverse the trend of declining viewership. Fans are eagerly anticipating this highly anticipated contest at SoFi Center.
Overall, the challenges faced by the American Express and other PGA Tour events highlight the competitive landscape of sports viewership in the current media environment. Factors such as scheduling conflicts with other popular sports events, player withdrawals, and slow pace of play all contribute to the struggle to maintain consistent TV ratings. As the sports broadcasting industry continues to evolve, finding innovative ways to engage viewers and attract new audiences will be crucial for the future success of golf and other sports leagues.
