Sports TV
Chilly ratings outlook for British Open
By Toni Fitzgerald
Jul 18, 2008 - 8:10:18 AM

Woods had season-ending surgery on his knee last month, days after his playoff victory in the U.S. Open. He’ll be out until at least next year to rehab his torn tendon and stress fractures in his leg.

That may well lead to some of the lowest ratings for the majors in years, since before the Woods craze began in 1997 with his dominating victory in the Masters.

Woods’ effect on golf ratings has been talked about for years, but it’s startling just how big a boost he gives a tournament, especially a major.

In a report issued last month, Magna’s Brian Hughes notes that the average household rating for four non-major events Woods participated in this year was double that of than non-Woods PGA events, a 3.6 compared to a 1.8.

Among men 18-49, Woods events were a third better than non-Woods events, and among men 25-54, they were two thirds better.

But Woods’ impact is especially notable in the majors, which tend to draw viewers beyond the core golf demographic of men 21-49 with disposable income.

“The four annual grand slam events are traditionally the highest-rated golf telecasts on television, but Tiger’s presence can make a significant difference in either direction,” Hughes writes.

“This year’s Masters declined slightly among most male demos, as Woods finished in the number two slot for the second year in a row. However, both 2007 and 2008 were substantially higher rated than 2004 and 2006, when Tiger was not a top contender.”

Over the past five years, Woods’ victories have accounted for all the top-rated majors, often by a large margin. His 2008 U.S. Open win, for example, averaged a 5.5 household rating, 25 percent ahead of the next-highest-rated year for the event, 2007, when Woods did not win.

By comparison, last year’s British Open, won by Padraig Harrington, averaged a 3.1 rating, off 21 percent from the previous year, when Woods won.

Perhaps that explains why, in the run-up to the British Open, much of the coverage has focused on Woods even though he won’t be playing. Newspaper columnists have been discussing whether the event should have an asterisk next to it because Woods is not playing.

Other papers have talked to the players themselves to gauge what effect they think Woods’ absence will have. ESPN has devoted whole segments to the impact of Woods’ injury.

Certainly the bookies have been flummoxed by what Woods’ absence means for the odds. The MGM Grand in Las Vegas had just three golfers, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els, listed under 10-1 to win the tourney. By comparison, before Woods pulled out of the tournament, he’d been listed at 13-8 odds by British bookmakers. 

The Open airs through Sunday on TNT and ABC.