While behind the scenes the sheikhs' coffers are acting up and events are being canceled, LIV Golf's viewership is increasing – at least a little. The league, which is battling for its future in the current financial thriller, saw a 12 percent increase on Fox compared to the previous year, even though the season was shorter. On average, an impressive 386,000 viewers tuned in per round in 2026, a significant jump from the 345,000 of the previous year.
A real plot twist, as the mood was actually tense: LIV had to cancel events in New Orleans and Michigan in 2026 because the Saudi financial injection was less generous. There's talk of an end to 'LIV 1.0' as the league desperately searches for new investors. Nevertheless, golf fans don't seem to shy away from the drama unfolding on TV.
Green Shoots on a Tight Budget?
The broadcast of the final round from LIV Indianapolis was particularly strong, breaking the all-time record for LIV telecasts with 702,000 viewers – a real blockbuster round for the ratings. The integration of Nielsen's 'Big Data' metrics also contributed to the positive result. But before we get too carried away by the momentum: compared to the PGA Tour, these are still peanuts. The PGA Tour attracted an average of a whopping 2.5 million viewers per round in 2026 – 6.5 times that of LIV. Even the Golf Channel's pre-game show had more viewers, namely 565,000.
A Drop in the Ocean?
While the increased ratings are a small ray of hope, they don't change the overall picture. In terms of TV reach, LIV Golf is still far from seriously competing with the established tours. It remains exciting to see if the league can attract even more viewers in the long term with new investments and perhaps stable event planning. For the golfers, it probably means: keep your fingers crossed in the financial thriller surrounding the future of professional golf.
