Pickleball Stealing Golf’s Spotlight: For years, golf has been the undisputed king of weekend sports viewership. With its storied history and global fanbase, the idea that any sport, especially one as niche as pickleball, could challenge it seemed improbable. Yet, the tides might be shifting. This past Sunday, while golf’s heavyweights, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm, squared off in a high-stakes $4 million playoff at The Greenbrier, the real story unfolded elsewhere. The surprise? Midday pickleball, specifically the PPA Bristol event, drew more viewers than the golf showdown. It’s a sign that pickleball, once a backyard game, is starting to capture the public’s imagination.
TV Ratings Tell the Tale
The numbers don’t lie. Sunday’s PPA Bristol broadcast managed to pull in nearly twice the viewership of two days’ worth of LIV Golf coverage. For pickleball, a sport still in its professional infancy, this is no small feat.
It’s worth noting that while LIV Golf aired on the CW Network, the PPA Tour’s event enjoyed the broader reach of Fox National. But even with this disparity, the fact that pickleball outshined a high-stakes golf event signals a shift in sports entertainment that few saw coming.
LIV Golf Greenbrier on CW:
Saturday (1-6P): 136K
Sunday (1-6:11P): 165KPro Pickleball Association Bristol Open Sunday at 1P on Fox: 295K
— Sports TV Ratings (@SportsTVRatings) August 20, 2024
LIV Golf’s Struggles: Pickleball’s Opportunity?
LIV Golf, backed by the deep pockets of the Saudi Private Investment Fund, was supposed to be a game-changer. However, despite the initial buzz, the league has struggled to connect with fans in a meaningful way. Whether this is a sign of professional pickleball’s rising popularity or LIV Golf’s inability to deliver on its promise remains to be seen.
Yet, as pickleball gains ground, LIV Golf faces an uncertain future. Even the PGA Tour’s FedEx St. Jude Championship saw a significant drop in viewership, from 3.2 million in 2023 to 2.2 million in 2024, despite featuring top-tier names like Scottie Scheffler, a known pickleball advocate.
@PPAtour kicked @livgolf_league ass in viewership on Sunday. Pickleball: 295k viewers, Golf: 165k viewers. The future of pickleball is clear. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Check out the article linked: https://t.co/EgALByhVou
— Connor Pardoe (@connorpardoe_pb) August 20, 2024
The Future of Sports Entertainment
LIV Golf’s situation is particularly dire. After three seasons, the league has little to show in terms of fan engagement. As it heads into its fourth season, the pressure is on. If LIV Golf cannot strengthen its connection with fans, the sport’s next big investor might just turn their attention to pickleball – a sport where the audience is growing, and the stakes are just beginning to rise.
News in Brief: Pickleball Stealing Golf’s Spotlight
Pickleball is making unexpected waves in sports viewership, outdrawing LIV Golf in a recent weekend broadcast. The PPA Bristol event on Fox National garnered nearly twice the audience of LIV Golf’s coverage on the CW Network. Despite the deep pockets backing LIV Golf, the league continues to struggle with fan engagement.
As pickleball’s popularity rises, the sports world may be witnessing a shift in weekend viewership, with pickleball emerging as a serious contender in the entertainment arena. The future of both sports could depend on how well they connect with their audiences.
