Open Championship Final Round Viewership Rises 6% for NBC

The conclusion of golf’s final major of the year delivered a ratings win for Comcast Corporation’s NBC. The network’s Sunday broadcast of the Open Championship averaged 4.3 million viewers, representing a 6% increase compared to the previous year’s tournament. This figure marks the highest audience for the event’s final round since 2022.

Viewership peaked at 6.1 million viewers during a critical 15-minute window on NBC and Peacock as Ryan Fox made a late charge to secure the Claret Jug. The timing of the event, held at Royal Birkdale in England, creates a unique viewing window for U.S. audiences, with the final round typically concluding in the early afternoon due to the transatlantic time difference. This contrasts with the traditional primetime finishes of majors held within the United States.

The upturn in audience figures adds to a broader trend of growth across men’s major golf tournaments this season. However, industry observers should note that the current ratings landscape has shifted. This year’s metrics utilize Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel methodology, whereas prior year comparisons relied solely on panel data. Under this new measurement, the Masters led all majors with an average of 13.99 million viewers, while the PGA Championship drew 5.76 million and the U.S. Open averaged 5.5 million.

NBC’s coverage extended beyond the Sunday finale, with Saturday’s third round drawing an average of 3.7 million viewers—a 16% jump and the best turnout for that slot since 2018. Earlier in the tournament, USA Network carried more than 25 hours of coverage, averaging 873,000 viewers. Additionally, intrigue surrounding a two-stroke penalty helped Golf Channel’s *Live From The Open* post-round show on Friday reach 354,000 viewers, its highest audience since the Masters.

What to watch

• NBC’s performance relative to other broadcasters during upcoming golf seasons.
• The continued impact of Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel methodology on year-over-year comparisons.
• Future viewership trends for The Players Championship, which averaged 4.4 million viewers this year.

Source: original release