The Olympic Games happen every two years. More specifically, the Summer Olympic Games, often the more viewed and popular of the Olympic cycle, happen every four years. This international spectacle captivates the world, but it also indulges the mind of the sport viewer 24 hours a day for over two weeks. This overwhelming amount of sport coverage does not only tire the mind of viewers, it also causes them to be reluctant to watch long-term coverage of sporting events such as the PGA Championships, whose final round often airs during the Olympics.
The 2012 PGA Championships final round had the second lowest rating in the past three decades of 3.4 and was the second least viewed final round in recent memory with 4.884 million viewers. The lowest rated you ask? The 2008 PGA Championships of course! The least viewed PGA Championships final round? You got it, 2008. The 2008 PGA Championship final round was rated just 2.8 and had on 4.020 million viewers. What does the 2012 and the 2008 PGA Championships have in common? They were aired opposite the Summer Olympic Games.
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| retrieved from sportsmediawatch.com, originally posted in Sport Business Daily
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So the question is, would moving the 2016, 2020, and every four years following PGA Championships to earlier in the season make sense for the Professional Golfers' Association of America? If the Championships moved to mid-June or mid-July, it could avoid such events as the Olympic Games from dampening the viewership of the PGA Championships. Golf is a sport that is growing internationally, but has taking a large step back in the United States. By moving one of the largest tournaments of the year to a different weekend the focus on professional golf in the United States could be heightened and there would be no need to worry about such a loss in ratings and viewers for the tournament that carries its creator's namesake.
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