Solheim Cup Ratings: 244% Improvement Over '07
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 25, 2009 11:22 PM EDT
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PrintThe 2009 Solheim Cup was a big ratings get for Golf Channel. According to numbers provided by the network, the rating for Sunday coverage was 0.93. The 2007 Sunday rating was a pitiful 0.27 and the '05 finale - the last Solheim on American soil - was a 0.62.
Take from it what you will, but that measures out to a 244% improvement over '07, and a 50% higher number than 2005. Eerily enough, LPGA.com saw very similar gains in traffic compared to both 2007 and 2005.
It was the second highest rated round of women's golf on any television network all year behind the US Women's Open. Friday's opener had the largest LPGA audience of the year on a Friday as well.
I'm not going to pin this all on Michelle Wie, but it certainly played a huge part to have her on board and playing well.
Analyzing with rosey-colored glasses on, I would say this group of young (and, yes, attractive) American girls helped draw in a bigger audience.
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I’m not going to pin this all on Michelle Wie, but it certainly played a huge part to have her on board and playing well.
Agreed!
If Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, etc. played well enough to contend more often and get constantly shown during LPGA telecasts, then the LPGA would not have nearly as many issues as it does now.
Sponsors and viewers both want to see attractive, athletic, marketable stars at the top of the sport.
That’s a truism and let’s be honest: American.
While many at LPGA headquarters may pray that Gulbis, Wie, et. al can carry their flag, they should also be praying that Tiger’s niece can rise towards the top, along with some other African-American players like Maria Stackhouse down in Georgia.
THAT would present a perfect marketing storm for them, and they really need it STAT.
by Charles Boyer on Aug 26, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I think...
…the fact that the golf itself was more competitive than had been expected didn’t hurt either.
come on NB – the only thing that counts is marketing ! how dare you not genuflect to The Wie and give her all the credit ? :-)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Which would be the polar opposite of you giving her precious little, Court? :-)
I kid, I kid.
by Charles Boyer on Aug 26, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Competitive golf is important, and Wie, Gulbis, Creamer & Co. are more competitive when a double bogey doesn’t knock them down the leaderboard and off the air, it just costs them a hole in match play.
I think the format and participants are why the ratings saw a boost.
The health of the LPGA would receive a huge boost if these girls could find a way to elevate their games and be more competitive week-in and week-out.
Funny that you should mention Mariah Stackhouse, OMP. A good friend of mine moved to Atlanta last year to work on her game year round in hopes of making the Futures Tour and eventually LPGA Tour. She’s been paired with Mariah in several GA Amateur events this year and has told me to keep my eyes peeled for her name. Quite a list of accomplishments for such a young player.
You’d think that was true – but it took almost 13 years for people to want some sort of competition for Tiger Woods – I hear all kinds of fans say that they want more ’97 Masters or 2000 Masters and US Opens where he just destroyed the field.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
2000 Masters
Was won by Vijay Singh not Tiger Woods.
by Bill Jempty on Aug 26, 2009 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Not 2001 either
While Tiger won it, he finished just two shots ahead of David Duval and three ahead of Phil Mickelson. I’m not 100% sure, but Tiger may have made birdie on 18. In any case that is not destroying the field(I’m using your own words).
Wanna try the 2000 British Open where Tiger won by 8?
by Bill Jempty on Aug 26, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
There you go – that will work just fine…geez…where is my head today…St Andrews – in Augusta, GA
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
The two are linked inextricably (through Alistair MacKenzie) so you have that going for you…
by Charles Boyer on Aug 26, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions
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