The Players posts third best Sunday overnight rating of any golf tournament in past year & third best Players Sunday overnight in a decade; Sunday’s Golf Central Live from The Players: +67% for pre-event coverage and +57% for post-event coverage vs. 2014; Golf Channel’s coverage pacing to be second most-watched players week ever, higher than past five years’ major championship weeks except, for the Masters
ORLANDO, Fla. (May 11, 2015) – Golf Channel on NBC’s Coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship posted golf’s third highest-rated Sunday over the past year with a 3.9 overnight rating (2-8 p.m. ET), a 60% increase over 2014. THE PLAYERS peaked with a 6.0 overnight rating from 7:30-8:00 p.m. ET as Rickie Fowler won his second PGA TOUR event on the fourth playoff hole. Of all golf tournaments over the past year, only the Sunday rounds of the 2015 Masters and 2014 PGA Championship exceeded NBC’s coverage of THE PLAYERS. This also represented the third highest-rated Sunday overnight for THE PLAYERS over the past decade, exceeded only by Tiger Woods’ win in 2013 and Henrik Stenson’s win in 2009, according to data released today by The Nielsen Company.
Sunday’s pre-event coverage on Golf Channel’s Golf Central Live From THE PLAYERS (9 a.m.-2 p.m. ET) also posted significant year-over-year gains in viewership with a .4 overnight, a +67% increase over 2014. Post-event coverage on Sunday night of Golf Central Live From THE PLAYERS (8-10 p.m. ET) posted a .2 overnight, a +57% increase over last year.
Preliminary viewership data is pacing for Golf Channel to post its second most-watched PLAYERS week ever. A full report on Final National Ratings and Cume Audience figures will be available on Wednesday, May 13.
RECORD STREAMING AND BEST-EVER TRAFFIC FOR PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK ON GOLF CHANNEL DIGITAL:
• The 2015 PLAYERS Championship was second most-streamed PGA TOUR event ever on Golf Live Extra, trailing only 2013’s coverage, with 7.39 million minutes streamed (+94% YOY). This also was the most-streamed event for Golf Live Extra since the 2014 Ryder Cup.
• Golf Channel Digital scored Best Ever PLAYERS week records in all key metrics, including:
o Page Views: 20.79 million (+51% YOY)
o Visits: 3.97 million (+52% YOY)
o Video Starts: 798K (+85% YOY)
o Unique Visitors: GolfChannel.com 1.37 million (+53% YOY); Golf Channel Mobile 315K (+20% YOY)
ABOUT GOLF CHANNEL
Golf Channel is a multimedia, golf entertainment and services company based in Orlando, Fla. Serving the most-affluent audience in all of television, Golf Channel – co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 and now part of NBC Sports Group – is available in more than 200 million homes in more than 80 countries and 11 languages around the world. Exclusive partnerships with the world’s top tours allow Golf Channel to feature more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, as well as a programming schedule distinguished by golf’s highest-quality news, instruction and original content. Golf Channel’s digital platforms, headed by GolfChannel.com, are the leading golf destinations on the Internet, delivering unmatched coverage of the world of golf. Fans are able to enjoy 24/7 live streaming of Golf Channel content through Golf Live Extra and select programming is simulcast via SiriusXM’s PGA TOUR Radio. In addition, Golf Channel connects the world to golf through a wide array of digital and lifestyle services including Golf Channel Mobile, a comprehensive app covering golf’s latest headlines, scores and analysis; GolfNow, the world’s largest online tee time booking platform and golf course technology partner, which includes the GolfNow Mobile App, featuring on-course GPS tracking, in-round scoring and game tracking; GolfAdvisor.com, a golf course ratings and review portal for golfers, by golfers; a North American network of Golf Channel Academy instructional facilities; and Golf Channel Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour.
Contact:
David Schaefer
Vice President, Communications
David.Schaefer@GolfChannel.com
407-355-4542
Sources: Nielsen Metered Market Overnights 5/10/15 vs. prior comparable days/years
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