Golf
Nelly Korda Lifts LPGA Viewership, Empowers LPGA
Nelly Korda Empowers LPGA, Shifts Narrative Away from Jay Monahan’s Woes, and Evades Scottie Scheffler’s Masters Struggles
Lately, Jay Monahan has been grappling with disappointing TV ratings and coverage challenges, notably evident during the Masters Tournament, the premier men’s golf event. Viewership for the tournament’s final round plummeted by 20% compared to the previous year, with some attributing this decline to Scottie Scheffler’s inability to attract a substantial audience. Conversely, the LPGA Tour experienced a contrasting narrative, thanks in part to Nelly Korda influence. A recent report from the publicity arm of the NBC Sports Network shed light on viewership figures for a recent women’s golf tournament. The report revealed that the Chevron Championship, won by Nelly Korda, garnered the highest viewership for the major event since 2010.Nelly Korda’s Triumph Garners Attention
The final round of the women’s golf major, broadcasted on NBC and Peacock, peaked between 6:30 PM and 6:45 PM, attracting 1.9 million viewers as Nelly Korda clinched victory. This marked an increase compared to the previous year’s peak viewership of 1.54 million. Additionally, the fourth day of play averaged 936,000 viewers, on par with the 2023 edition of the Chevron Championship, where Lilia Vu emerged victorious. Moreover, Korda’s historic win at The Club at Carlton Woods drew a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 361,000 viewers, surpassing the combined coverage on Golf Channel and NBC, which amassed 354,000 TAD. Korda’s achievement of tying Nancy Lopez’s and Annika Sorenstam’s records likely contributed significantly to these impressive figures. These findings, shared by Flushing It, were juxtaposed with PGA Tour viewership statistics. Notably, only 9.589 million viewers tuned in to witness Scheffler secure his second Masters title, compared to 10.17 million in 2022 and 12.59 million in 2023. This marks the lowest viewership for the Masters since 1993. This positive trend for the LPGA Tour is encouraging, particularly amidst longstanding challenges related to coverage and viewership. However, one cannot help but wonder whether Korda’s influence was the primary driver behind the surge in viewership for the final round of the prestigious event.
Assessing Nelly Korda’s Impact on Women’s Golf
“I once likened her to the Tiger Woods of the LPGA Tour,” remarked Kevin Kisner after observing Nelly Korda’s performance at the QBE Shootout. This sentiment was echoed by several of her peers, including Rose Zhang, Lilia Vu, and Stacy Lewis, who highlighted Korda’s significant influence on the sport. Stacy Lewis, in particular, emphasized the importance of expanding coverage for the women’s circuit, urging Korda to engage in additional promotional activities. Meanwhile, Rose Zhang hailed her as the “best” in the game, while Lilia Vu likened her to the ‘Caitlin Clark of the LPGA Tour.’ Clearly, Nelly Korda’s impact transcends her performance on the course, sparking enthusiasm and admiration among fans and fellow athletes alike.Discover more from The EliteSphere
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