The golf TV landscape in 2025 reflects a fragmented and evolving reality. While some PGA Tour tournaments are experiencing declines in viewership, the LIV is struggling to establish itself in the traditional TV market, and the new TGL league appears to have captured a young and innovative audience. In this in-depth analysis, we analyze the latest data on TV ratings, the dynamics behind the successes and struggles of each tour, and possible future prospects for professional golf.
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PGA Tour, golf
The PGA Tour is going through a period of uncertainty in terms of TV ratings. While the flagship tournaments such as the Masters and the US Open maintain and always will maintain a solid base of viewers, on the other hand, mid-level events are experiencing worrying declines.
The American Express 2025 recorded a 57% drop in viewership on Golf Channel, with an average of 375,000 viewers compared to 870,000 the previous year. This was mainly due to the weak field, the concomitance of 4 NFL playoff games (the most followed sport in the US by far) and the defections of Scheffler and Schauffele shortly before the tournament.
Last weekend's Genesis Invitational, on the other hand, saw better numbers, with an average of 1.6 million viewers on CBS, driven by the presence of Ludvig berg and the beauty and difficulty of a course like that of Torrey Pines.
The WM Phoenix Open, on the other hand, surprised on the positive side, with an increase of 500,000 viewers compared to 2024, reaching 2.9 million viewers also driven by seeing the tournament as a prelude to the Super Bowl.
This trend suggests that tournaments with weaker fields are struggling to retain the attention of the public and the increasing importance of players in televised performances. The saturation of the television offering and the competition from alternative events such as the LIV and the TGL could be determining factors in the future and the PGA really needs to find a way to innovate its product.
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The LIV continues to struggle to gain a consolidated viewer base. After signing a contract with Fox Sports, the first broadcasts of 2025 have disappointed expectations:
The first event broadcast on Fox Sports attracted just 375,000 viewers, well below the million hoped for by the organizers while last weekend's tournament in Australia, also thanks to a more favorable time with the American time, recorded a good 500,000 viewers for the first day of competition but, also thanks to the uncompetitiveness of the format, suffered a 50% drop.
The average audience for a LIV event in 2024 was around 600,000 viewers, while the PGA Tour, even in the less followed tournaments, reached 1.5 million.
LIV is trying to improve the television format with a more dynamic production and greater involvement of the athletes, but the lack of coverage on more traditional networks limits its potential. This is also why the PIF fund league has relied this year on Rick Shiels (the most followed golf YouTuber in the world) to try to take the brand to the next level.
One area where LIV could grow is streaming: the YouTube platform and the official app are attracting a young audience, with over 10 million monthly views between highlights and live streaming. It is safe to say that LIV is trying to follow the NBA's engagement format, where everything is focused on Highlights and their distribution on social media.
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The 18-34 audience grew 32% compared to the average for televised golf events, signaling an ability to attract new fans.
Investments from technology brands such as Apple and Meta are giving TGL a fresh identity, with the possible development of immersive experiences in augmented reality.
This more interactive formula could revolutionize the way golf is consumed, especially in an era in which viewers seek shorter, more dynamic content than traditional 4-5 hour broadcasts.
