The final round of the 2024 Masters saw a significant drop in TV viewing figures, with an average of 9.59 million viewers in the US, according to broadcaster CBS. This marked a 20% decrease in viewership compared to the tournament’s climax last year.
Viewers tuning in to witness Scottie Scheffler’s victory peaked at 12.56 million on CBS, with an average of 8.21 million viewers over the two-day coverage of the Masters. This was a 9% drop from the previous year’s average.
The final round of this year’s Masters ranks among the least-watched since 1993, surpassing only the Covid-affected years of 2020 and 2021. The decline in viewership is attributed to the 2023 edition receiving a significant out-of-home viewership boost of 21%, while this year’s event only saw a 9% increase.
In addition to CBS, ESPN also broadcasted the first two rounds of the Masters, averaging 3.4 million viewers for its coverage. This marked the largest two-day average viewership since 2018, with this year’s first round attracting the tournament’s largest opening round audience in nine years.
The drop in TV viewing figures for the 2024 Masters has raised questions about the factors contributing to the decline in interest and what organizers can do to attract more viewers in the future.