Another Ratings Wake-Up Call?
Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 11:42 AM An Australian reader forwarded this Herald Sun story on “disastrous” television ratings in Australia for golf. It’s yet another eye opener, especially considering that Australian golf is producing so many world class players.
“As Peter Lonard marched to victory at Coolum in the PGA on Sunday, the audience peaked at 142,000 in Melbourne and 123,000 in Sydney,” the story says.
“A comparison with the 1997 Australian Open, when
Englishman Lee Westwood defeated Greg Norman in a playoff, indicates
hundreds of thousands of lounge room fans have deserted golf. That
year, Seven achieved the Australian tour's highest-ever rating of
between 500,000-600,000 in Melbourne.”
Meanwhile this Arizona Republic story includes the flat and barely reported Skins Game ratings. The numbers were barely boosted by Tiger. The story also has some interesting quotes from a fan who attended the event.