Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic Finishes the Four-Tournament Series 66 % Higher Than Previous Best in 2007
Double-Digit Ratings Growth for Every Fall Series Tournament
Viewers for Sergio Garcia’s Victory at Castello Masters Up 69% over 2010, Keeping European Tour Ratings Strong
Golf Channel Invests in Additional Events to Ensure Strongest Fourth Quarter of Tournament Coverage in Network History
ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 26, 2011) – Golf Channel’s coverage of the entire PGA TOUR Fall Series was the most watched in history, topping the previous-best Series in 2007 by 66 percent and last year by 105 percent. This latest success builds on the momentum the network has created in 2011 toward a record-breaking year.
After record ratings were reported earlier this month to start the Fall Series, Golf Channel continued to set all-time records for each event in the 2011 Series:
· Frys.com Open was the highest-rated and most-watched Fall Series event in history.
· Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open was the second-highest-rated and second-most-watched Fall Series event in history.
· Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic tied the 2007 Valero Texas Open as the third-highest rated Fall Series event in history.
· The McGladrey Classic joined the top-five, highest-rated Fall Series events (out of 25 events since 2007) with viewership up 62 percent over 2010.
Ratings for all four tournaments comprising the Fall Series were up double digits over 2010. Through the CMN Hospitals Classic, viewership for the PGA TOUR on Golf Channel is up 28 percent over last year.
Luke Donald’s victory at the CMN Hospitals Classic at Walt Disney World earned him the PGA TOUR money title and kept his hopes alive to be the first player in history to win money titles on both sides of the Atlantic. The tournament telecasts drew 325,000 average viewers, up 68 percent over 2010.
| 2011 Event by Event | Rating | Viewers | Change YOY |
| Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | 0.4 | 354,000 | 35% |
| Frys.com Open | 0.7 | 727,000 | 165% |
| The McGladrey Classic | 0.3 | 312,000 | 62% |
| Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic | 0.3 | 325,000 | 68% |
Source: Nielsen MIT via Star Trak; Live+Same Day DVR HH Cvg Rtgs and P2+ 000s, 2007-2011
European Tour Up 69 Percent: Golf Channel’s coverage of the European Tour remained strong with Sunday’s conclusion to the Castello Masters in Spain. Average viewers for the tournament were up 69 percent over 2010 (0.1 / 59,000). Champion Sergio Garcia shot a closing score of 63 to blow away the competition and later dedicated his victory to the late Seve Ballesteros.
Presidents Cup Headlines Strong Fourth Quarter: Making sure the golf season is far from over, Golf Channel will televise an impressive tournament lineup to close 2011, which features established stars like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and young phenoms like Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson. Next week, the World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions event from Shanghai, China, will feature all four major winners from this year (Charl Schwartzel, Masters; Rory McIlroy, U.S. Open; Darren Clarke, Open Championship; Keegan Bradley, PGA Championship). The week prior to The Presidents Cup, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els will tee it up at the Barclays Singapore Open, and Tiger Woods and most of the USA Presidents Cup team will compete in the Emirates Australian Open in prime time. Also, for the first time, Golf Channel will air all four rounds of The Presidents Cup live from Australia, Nov. 16-19. More than 27 hours of live coverage – much of it in prime time – on Golf Channel and more than 50 hours total on Golf Channel and NBC will capture the excitement of team competition when USA Captain Fred Couples will lead his team against a strong International squad led by Greg Norman.
7 Nights at the Academy: Legends Nick Faldo, Johnny Miller and Raymond Floyd will share their secrets of success with Golf Channel viewers during a one-of-a-kind instruction series airing in December titled 7 Nights at the Academy. From driving to putting, iron play to course management, these golfing superstars will demonstrate the shots and techniques that made them some of the most decorated champions in the game.
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