LIV Golf will not release regular broadcasting and viewership data for the 2024 campaign
LIV Golf's television viewership will not be released in weekly reports. The number of people watching their tournaments has been the subject of debate over the years as the breakaway tour has fought to get recognition and a TV deal. They landed on the CW, but the numbers weren't great.
Now, they're not going to release them weekly like other sports leagues do. The information will be available if someone wants to seek it out, but the league has no intention of releasing it for regular data upkeep.
NUCLR GOLF tweeted on X, formerly known as Twitter:
"LIV GOLF’s broadcast on the CW will be rated this year through iSpot and Nielsen but the league says they won’t regularly be releasing viewership data."
LIV has also extended contracts for the following personnel in its media team through to 2025:
- Arlo White
- Jerry Foltz
- David Feherty
- Dom Boulet
- Su-Ann Heng
They’ve also added Christian Crosby and Rachel Drummond after Troy Mullins recent departure. LIV Chief Media Officer Will Staeger said via Sports Business Journal that they just don't see it as useful to report the data frequently.
“We don’t see it as a story week to week on what our numbers are, so I’m not sure how often we do that," Staeger said. "If it’s a significant bump, if there’s a particular event that really shows we’re gaining traction, I think we will issue a release or a story. But I think we’re optimistic that there will be increased viewership in the 2024 season.”
Any fans who are curious can find out how many people are watching, but LIV isn't prepared to release that consistently. Given the influx of talent, including Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton, it would appear as if they're slated for good viewership now, especially in comparison to the past.
LIV Golf changing television tracking for 2024 season
Last season, LIV Golf only reported their viewership data for a few events before opting not to for the rest of the year. They will continued to be tracked by iSpot, but will also have Nielsen, the premier TV data outlet, tracking as well in 2024.
Nextstar, the parent company of The CW (LIV's primary channel), purchased a 12.5% stake in the network that CBS had owned, so more markets will now have local broadcasts of the LIV tournaments.
Additionally, there are still some big markets where a larger Nextstar affiliate will be carrying LIV instead of The CW. This includes WGN in Chicago, so it could bode well for their ultimate growth this season.
He didn't get into specific numbers, but Will Staeger said that the tour's digital platforms saw a 48% growth from the start of last season through its completion. It is expected that that will continue on this season with more players and more television markets tuned in.
The league officially kicks off this week in Mexico, so it will be interesting to see just how much of an audience they can generate opposite the Pebble Beach Pro-Am this weekend on the PGA Tour.