Former PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh has labeled LIV Golf a “failed economic experiment” that is “unwatchable,” citing its unsustainable economic model and lack of a superior product. Despite its deep pockets, courtesy of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, Waugh believes LIV will eventually need to make a deal, and that the PGA Tour also needs a deal due to shrinking fandom and sponsors getting edgy about paying more for less.

However, Waugh acknowledges that LIV has brought innovative ideas to the table and that a new administration and a president who likes golf could facilitate a deal, so was LIV Golf really a failed experiment? Well, the numbers tell a whole different story.

LIV Golf’s 2024 Mayakoba

So the first and foremost, evidently, goes to the viewership numbers for LIV Golf’s 2024 season opener. It was a perfect storm, literally and figuratively!  The drama-filled final round, which saw Joaquin Niemann emerge victorious in a thrilling playoff, drew in a record-breaking 432,000 viewers, according to Nielsen. This was not only a significant increase from the previous year’s event but also a major milestone for LIV Golf, which had stopped reporting its ratings due to plateaued growth.

But, as with all TV ratings, there’s more to the story than just the numbers. The context is key, and in this case, it’s worth noting that LIV Golf didn’t have to compete with live NFL games, and the PGA Tour’s Saturday round was rebroadcast on Sunday on CBS, earning over 1.2 million viewers. Additionally, the winter storms that ravaged the country kept people indoors, potentially boosting viewership numbers.

LIV Golf’s 2024 Las Vegas

The Las Vegas tournament was a major success for LIV Golf in 2024, drawing in a huge audience of 3.03 million viewers across YouTube and LIV Golf+. This event, held from February 8-10, was a thrilling competition that showcased the league’s innovative format and talented lineup of golfers. The large audience it attracted shows just how popular LIV Golf is becoming and how well it’s doing at providing exciting and engaging content to fans.

The success of the Las Vegas tournament is just one part of a larger trend of growth for LIV Golf in 2024. The league’s other events, including those in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong, have also shown promising viewership numbers, with 2.25 million and 2.41 million viewers, respectively. As LIV Golf continues to gain traction and attract new fans, it’s clear that the league is becoming a major player in the world of professional golf. With its innovative format, star-studded lineup, and commitment to streaming and digital platforms, LIV Golf is providing a fresh and exciting alternative to traditional golf, and fans are responding in a big way.

The 2024 LIV Golf Team Championship

The LIV Golf Team Championship, held at the Maridoe Golf Club in Dallas, Texas, garnered more viewership than the BMW PGA Championship. A whopping 128,000 viewers tuned in on CW for the LIV Golf event as compared to 119,000 on the Golf Channel for the European event. Even more surprisingly, the LPGA Tour event of the Kroger Queen City Championship had better viewership than the BMW PGA Championship. With 127,000 viewers.

This milestone is truly significant Why? Because LIV Golf has faced criticism about its viewership numbers since its inception. However, these latest numbers suggest that the Saudi-backed league is slowly but surely gaining traction. Fans took to social media to share their thoughts on this news, with some attributing the lower viewership of the BMW PGA Championship to the fact that it was held in Europe, while others blamed it on the football season. Regardless of their brilliance in the viewership department, LIV Golf has seen a recent hit, and there can be many reasons for that.

With its deal with Fox now, LIV Golf might just continue to witness big numbers and keep checking viewership milestones off of the list. What do you think? Is LIV Golf a failed experiment when it can attract this much fan base? We’d love you hear your thoughts in the comment section below!