In professional golf’s fierce battle for eyeballs, every viewer counts. Just like any sport, the growth of the game depends on views, following, and fandom. A command on these not only secures your future but also lets you dictate how the game grows. This is what is at stake. Concurrently, this is self-evident in both PGA Tour and LIV Golf. They have been locked in an intense viewership war, with recent numbers telling a compelling story.
While the PGA Tour celebrated Rory McIlroy’s victory at Pebble Beach, which had drawn 3.3 million viewers, LIV Golf’s season opener in Riyadh struggled to attract just 54,000 pairs of eyes. However, amid this apparent dominance, a sudden announcement has thrown the PGA Tour’s broadcast plans into disarray.
Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour leadership found themselves blindsided when YouTube TV dropped a bombshell—the platform would remove all Paramount channels, including CBS, just hours before the Genesis Invitational. The timing couldn’t be more devastating for the Tour, which was riding high on McIlroy’s viewership-boosting performance that marked their most-watched non-major broadcast since 2021.
As news of the YouTube TV-Paramount dispute spread, LIV Golf Insider (@LIVTracking) quickly took to social media with a provocative claim: “BREAKING YouTube TV has dropped Paramount, meaning @thegenesisinv won’t be aired on the platform this weekend. Over 65% of the PGAT audience watch on YoutubeTV.” The post didn’t stop there, taking a jab at CBS commentator Colt Knost while promoting LIV Golf’s Adelaide event: “No more Colt Knost Meanwhile, #LIVGolf Adelaide is in the spotlight—expect MASSIVE ratings once again!”
BREAKING
YouTube TV has dropped Paramount, meaning @thegenesisinv won’t be aired on the platform this weekend. Over 65% of the PGAT audience watch on YoutubeTV.
No more Colt Knost
Meanwhile, #LIVGolf Adelaide is in the spotlight—expect MASSIVE ratings once again! pic.twitter.com/pU0m4XgY26
— LIV Golf Insider (@LIVTracking) February 13, 2025
For Monahan and the PGA Tour, the stakes are enormous. The blackout affects CBS’s coverage windows for both Saturday (3-7 PM ET) and Sunday’s final round (3-6:30 PM ET), potentially cutting off access to YouTube TV’s massive base of 5.3 million subscribers. While YouTube TV has offered an $8 credit to offset Paramount+ costs, the sudden disruption threatens to fragment the Tour’s audience during crucial broadcast hours.
Industry insiders note that if unresolved by March 15, the dispute could have even broader implications, potentially affecting coverage of The Players Championship – one of the Tour’s flagship events. “Losing CBS right before March Madness and the Masters is a gut punch,” seems to be unison frustrations call by many fans.
As LIV Golf’s controversial claim about YouTube TV viewership sparked debate, an unexpected wave of criticism emerged—not just against LIV’s statistics but also questioning the PGA Tour’s own narrative about its audience.
Pro-LIV fans fire back at PGA Tour’s viewership narrative
The discussion took an interesting turn when fans began questioning the contradictions in professional golf’s viewership claims. “How does 65% of the PGAT audience watch on YouTube TV when they are too old to stream? Which is it?” questioned one netizen. His sarcastic query sparked a lengthy discussion about the inconsistency in the PGA Tour’s audience narrative—if their viewers were predominantly older and watching on traditional TV, how could YouTube TV’s loss be so devastating?
The sentiment among LIV Golf supporters remained bullish despite the ongoing viewership debate. “LIV Golf is here to stay. This week’s ratings will be astronomical, F–k @ColtKnost,“ declared one passionate fan, while another simply responded, “Great news!” to the YouTube TV development, viewing it as a potential game-changer in golf’s broadcasting landscape.
Some fans expressed weariness with the constant focus on ratings, a debate that has dominated golf discussions since LIV Golf’s launch in 2022. “Who cares? I watch LIV and the majors. I couldn’t care less who watches what. All it’s doing is staying in the victim mindset,” commented one fan, highlighting the exhaustion with both tours’ repeated attempts to prove their superiority through viewership numbers. Another viewer echoed this sentiment: “I’ll watch LIV, and then maybe watch some PGA over the old antenna,” suggesting that fans were more interested in enjoying the sport’s expanded options than participating in the seemingly endless viewership debates that have overshadowed actual golf coverage for nearly three years.
What’s your take on these fan perspectives about golf’s viewership battle? Let us know in the comments section below!
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