TGL Viewership Drops 32% in Week 3 as Ratings Return to Earth Without Tiger Woods
After a strong start in its first two weeks, TGL's TV ratings dropped significantly in week 3, falling to 682,000 average viewers - a 32% decrease from week 2's 1.05 million viewers. This marks the lowest viewership since the league's inception.
The decline follows an expected pattern, as the TGL strategically scheduled Tiger Woods' debut in week 2 to build momentum. While week 1 drew 919,000 viewers, Woods' appearance helped boost week 2 viewership by 9%.
Key insights from the ratings data:
- Average viewer age is 51 years old, 14 years younger than typical PGA Tour broadcasts
- Week 3 viewership (682,000) aligns with typical ESPN averages for the time slot
- Scheduling inconsistency may impact audience development, as the league alternates days and time slots
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The ratings reveal a potential challenge: viewer interest significantly drops when major stars like Woods and McIlroy aren't competing. This highlights the need for TGL to develop broader audience engagement with lesser-known players.
Looking ahead, Week 4 features a highly anticipated match between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's teams, which could help boost viewership numbers. While it's too early to make definitive judgments about the league's success, these early ratings fluctuations provide valuable insights into viewer behavior and preferences.
The TGL faces two key challenges moving forward:
- Building consistent viewer habits despite variable scheduling
- Maintaining audience interest beyond marquee player appearances
While the current numbers show mixed results, more data is needed to establish what constitutes "normal" viewership for this new league format.