Rory McIlroy reacts to latest shock PGA Tour viewing figures
Rory McIlroy believes PGA Tour-LIV Golf unity could be the answer to solve dwindling TV figures in 2024.
Rory McIlroy believes golf fans have got "really fatigued" with the huge divide in the professional game that it has all contributed to dwindling TV ratings on both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf in 2024.
McIlroy, 34, was speaking to former PGA Tour pro Morgan Hoffmann ahead of this week's Texas Open where it emerged PGA Tour viewing figures are 20% down in 2024.
While LIV Golf's viewing figures for 2024 have not yet been made available, they "aren't great" from what McIlroy has heard.
McIlroy believes golf fans are being turned off because the world's best players are not all together competing week in, week out.
The World No.2 said:
“I know this isn’t a be-all, end-all, but if you look at the TV ratings of the PGA Tour this year, they’re down 20% across the board. That’s a fifth. That’s big.
"I would say the numbers on LIV aren’t great either in terms of the people tuning in.
"I just think with the fighting and everything that’s went on over the past couple years, people are just getting really fatigued of it and it’s turning people off men’s professional golf, and that’s not a good thing for anyone."
McIlroy admits he will be interested to see what the viewing figures are like in the major championships this season, especially at the US PGA, US Open and The Open.
McIlroy said:
“It’s going to be really interesting to see how the four major championships do, or even the three because put Augusta aside, I think that sort of lives in its own worl. It will be really interesting to see how the major championship numbers fare compared to the other bigger events because there’s an argument to be made if the numbers are better and you’ve got all the best players in the world playing, then there’s an argument to say ‘OK, we need to get this thing back together.’
“But on the flip side, if the numbers aren’t as good, it’s an argument to still say we need to put everyone back together because people are losing interest in the game even if they don’t want to tune in to the four major championships.”
McIlroy concluded:
“You know, 20% is a pretty jarring number this year.”
What do you make of the dwindling TV ratings on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf? Which circuit do you spend most time watching in 2024? Are you turned off by the professional game right now? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels.
