Golf Channel Sees Modest Ratings Growth, Despite Lack Of Woods

Golf Channel Seeing Slight Gain In Ratings Despite Woods' Absence

Golf Channel execs "point to Nielsen Co. data to show their network can enjoy modest growth even without" golfer Tiger Woods, according to Josh Robbins of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. From '07-08, the Golf Channel "actually has seen a ratings increase of 5[%] in its hole-to-hole coverage of nine tournaments Woods didn't enter in 2007 and couldn't enter this year because of knee trouble." However, the "positive ratings data counterbalance the Nielsen ratings for events that Tiger was expected to play in this year but missed after surgery on his left knee." In total, the Golf Channel's Thursday and Friday telecasts of tournaments Woods participated in last year but not this season -- the Wachovia Championship, The Players Championship, the Memorial and the AT&T National -- were "down 26[%] from its telecasts of those events in 2007." Golf Channel President Page Thompson said, "Fortunately for us, we are not the Tiger Woods Channel. We're not the PGA Tour Channel. We're the Golf Channel, and we have a lot of golf from a lot of tours." Thompson said that other tours "have seen ratings increases." Thompson also said that Woods' injury "has had 'no impact' on advertising sales overall" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/6).