Ryder Cup Sets Sky Sports Record
The 2023 Ryder Cup, a premier biennial golfing event featuring Team Europe and Team USA, has broken records as the most-watched edition for UK rightsholder Sky Sports. Over the three days of the tournament, from September 29 to October 1, a staggering 3.7 million viewers tuned into Sky’s pay-TV broadcast coverage.
There was an average of 785,000 viewers across the three days, marking a significant 38% increase compared to the previous 2021 edition and a 25% surge from 2018. The broadcaster also observed a noteworthy 14% rise in viewership among the under-35 demographic compared to 2021, highlighting golf’s growing appeal to a younger audience.
The Ryder Cup’s popularity extended into the digital realm, with over 10 million views of editorial content and more than 2 million video views on Sky Sports’ website and app. The total video views on Sky Sports’ Ryder Cup content have reached an impressive 18 million, with 9.1 million video views and 22.9 million impressions on X (formerly known as Twitter).
These remarkable viewership figures follow the success of the women’s 2023 Solheim Cup, which also achieved record-breaking viewership on Sky Sports, peaking at 743,000 viewers on the tournament’s final day as Team Europe retained the trophy.
Jason Wessley, Director of Golf for Sky Sports, expressed his satisfaction with these achievements, stating, “This past weekend rounds off a superb period where we’ve seen record numbers across both the Ryder and Solheim Cups. It’s a testament to the team we have when it comes to producing unparalleled content and commentary.
“Looking ahead, we know there’s a real opportunity when it comes to engaging with new fans as we see younger generations coming to the sport, as well as the ongoing role we have in growing the women’s game through telling the stories of the world’s best female athletes.”
Sky Sports extended its rights deal for the Ryder Cup until 2025 last year, featuring it on the dedicated Sky Sports Ryder Cup channel. The upcoming edition is scheduled to take place in New York. Sky renewed its rights deal for the top-tier European Tour, now known as the DP World Tour, until the end of 2024.
Sky Sports holds rights to various other premier golf tournaments and tours and, in September of the previous year, extended its rights deals to cover women’s golf’s top-tier series, the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour (LET), for an additional three years. These renewals ensure that Sky Sports will continue to showcase all five of women’s golf’s major tournaments, including the Women’s PGA Championship, the Evian Championship, ANA Inspiration, the US Women’s Open, and the AIG Women’s Open.
Sky initially acquired LPGA rights in 2014 and has maintained its relationship with the LET since 2009, further solidifying its position as a key player in the world of sports business.
