LIV Golf Adelaide Busts PGA Tour’s ‘Unknown’ Champion Theory Behind Distressing TV Ratings

LIV Golf Adelaide exceeded expectations. Even for ‘home-team’ hero Cameron Smith. The Aussie was overwhelmed with emotions. Reportedly, 94,000 fans attended the event throughout the weekend. A paltry number compared to the WM Phoenix Open, but huge considering that the nascent league has yet to find a niche.

Undoubtedly, no one foresaw a Brendan Steele victory here. And, from what the narrative around the PGA Tour’s worsening viewership numbers was, a non-star name at the top of the leaderboard was read as a bad omen. Jinichiro Kozuma was leading after the first round. But the LIV Golf Adelaide experiment showed you don’t always need star players to draw spectators.

Unlikely heroes rose to the occasion at the LIV Golf Adelaide

Heading to the final hole, the battle was between Louis Oosthuizen and Steele. None had any connection to Down Under. None were the absolute crowd favorites. Steele’s last victory came seven years ago on the PGA Tour. Before Adelaide, the 41-year-old had zero top-tens. Home favorite Smith was falling down the leaderboard, slowly moving out of contention.

But none of that mattered. The taste of a global event with big names after a year-long absence triumphed over the disappointment of Smith not winning the individual title. Sure, Australia and LIV are conjoined twins. No one ‘digs’ the golf, but Louder phrase more than Aussies.

Last year’s ace was just the stroke of luck that the PIF-funded side needed. It, at once, shot the event to fame. Interestingly, the ace also came from Chase Koepka, not his famous five-time major-winning brother, Brooksie. It might seem like a match made in heaven. But make no mistake, LIV Golf Adelaide was not an overnight success.

How LIV capitalized on its Adelaide ‘luck’

Cameron Smith underlined the importance of locale in the LIV model. And the tournament organizers used that as a launchpad. Aside from the much-talked-about DJ, the ticket price was kept low. Also, the organizers sold extra tickets considering the rising demand.

The famous par-3, 165-yard 12th, known as the ‘watering hole’ went through a renovation as well. Not content with resting on their laurels, Grange added 1,000 more seats to the grandstand. This was followed by an additional viewing platform. There were ten of them to improve the fan experience, and it paid off.

A shrewd marketing move that passed almost unnoticed was choosing the same beverage partner. With a mantra of going local, LIV partnered with Pirate Life once again this year. The local beverage brand made a special beer for the 90,000 fans attending the event. The result was Cameron Smith, and Greg Norman doing ‘shoey’.

To solve last year’s logistical problem, the organizers also introduced flight decks—an elevated stand of artificial green for players to practice on. The organizers also selected one player from each team to interact with the fans. Dotted throughout the course and peering over the fairways, it took fans closer to the game.

The local traditions and fans were at the heart of every movement. It’s not the stars; it’s the game that was behind all these, Jon Rahm said. A look at the PGA Tour’s viewership numbers will show that stars are extremely fallible.

Even top PGA Tour pros failed at times

Bay Hill, for example. Scottie Scheffler showed what’s to come in the next few weeks when he tamed the course. Yet, his five-stroke victory failed to translate into viewership numbers for the Tour. The Arnold Palmer Invitational witnessed a 30% year-to-year decline.

Secondly, again, a thrilling PLAYERS Championship was on the cards. In the final round, Scheffler crawled his way back to the top. Wyndham Clark was again chasing the world no.1. A heartbreaking lip-out on the 18th decided the fate of the tournament. PLAYERS played like a signature event by all means. Still, only 3.3 million tuned in compared to last year’s 4.4 million.

Then we arrive at the Masters. Despite ticking almost all the boxes, the first major of the season failed to match expectations. In fact, shockingly, the numbers were a straight 20% drop from the previous year. It was the worst final-round coverage in more than 20 years.

Now, the audience for LIV Golf Adelaide is not available yet. However, early estimates, per some reports, indicate a million viewers, a record for the fledgling league. But two things to consider there. Firstly, the time zone difference will play a role. And, secondly, more than CW’s network on US televisions, the PIF-funded side relies on the LIV Golf + app. However, nothing takes away the fact that making fans feel valuable goes a long way in attracting business.