The recent TV numbers released for Rory McIlroy's magnificent record setting win at Congressional underlines the problem professional golf in the US and those who cover it (CBS,NBC,GC ) continue to face in the absence of Tiger Woods.
For years in this space and on the air with our Fairways Golf Show I have argued the peril involved in putting all of golf's eggs in the Tiger basket, and here is another glaring example.
It is undoubtedly Woods who moves the needle, whether he shoots 64 or 84, he is the express elevator to the ratings penthouse, so all the American suits who make the decisions behind the scenes cannot resist their need to make him, not the event the main story.
Even though the world's best players have been International for 2 years at least, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy need I go on, still get little more than lip service from the mainstream North American media.. Yes they were drooling over Rory's near perfect swing for 4 days at Congressional, but Tiger was at home with the kids...
You really have to listen to Dougie Donnelly, JayA Townsend, Renton Laidlaw, Warren Humphries etal, veteran broadcasters covering the European Tour to get a balanced perspective
According to reports, McIlroy's win was viewed by 5.1 percent of households in the top U.S. television markets. That is more than 25% lower than last year's final-round rating of 6.9, when Tiger was 4th to GMac
When Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach the final-round rating was 8.8 and the highest final-round U.S. rating ever 9.3 was Tiger's win at Bethpage Black in 2002.
There is a very good chance the Tiger we knew and enjoyed will never return even when he gets healthy, even if he finds his game.. His focus in life has changed, he is growing up as a father first, a decent honest responsible man second, and a great golfer third..
To be as dominant as he once was, you cannot have your priorities in that order..
So where does that leave golf ratings, and that is the dilemma facing the major TV networks on this side of the pond, not to mention PGA Tour commish,Tim Finchem as he gets set to renew the PGA Tour's TV contract at the end of this year...
There are plenty of great young American players like Rickie Fowler coming up, and even more like Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Ryo Ishikawa, Matteo Manessero etal around the world who are the future of the game.
The problem golf coverage is facing, and has been even more so since he crashed his cadilllac, is nobody in the States cares when he is not playing, and remember that is for the majority of weeks in the golf season..Is that good for golf ?? I don't think so..
CBS News and Sports president Sean McManus said last year that network officials "must monitor it closely and factor it [ratings and the loss of advertising revenue] in," when they begin negotiating with the Tour for the next TV package. The value has been inflated in recent years because of Tiger."
"The future is murky and unless Tiger gets it back, we may be looking at an interregnum like the period between Jack Nicklaus and Tiger," said Brad Adgate, Senior VP of Research for Horizon Media in New York
SNL Kagan another industry analyst reported The Golf Channel might have lost 20% of its ad revenue last year.
Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon wrote recently: " People are not interested ... in seeing Tiger fail. They want to see Tiger up there, dominant, at least in contention and when he's not, people don't care."
I disagree with Michael, I think Tiger's off course antics were the most colossal fall from grace of any sporting figure ever, far over shadowing mega stars like Micheal Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Diego Maradona,maybe even Preident Clinton and they obviously propelled him into the larger viewing segment of the general public who never watch golf, but do when he is playing whether in contention or not..
Tiger and the coverage of him has cast a huge shadow. It's time to give all these new young superstars like Rory,and Rickie and Matteo etal, their place in the sun for the sake of the game and those who cover it..
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles
(quotes from Garry Smits, Florida Times-Union)
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