Up 19%: "Golf Channel Posts Most-Watched May Ever"

Plenty of interesting numbers in this press release on Golf Channel's big May, 2013.

I've included the Big Break numbers since I know that's all the kids really care about:

GOLF CHANNEL POSTS MOST-WATCHED MAY EVER, 19% INCREASE IN VIEWERSHIP YEAR OVER YEAR
 
As 2013’s Fifth Consecutive Most-Watched Month, May Garners Nearly 17 Million Unique Viewers for Golf Channel
 
PGA TOUR’S THE PLAYERS Championship Posts Most-Viewed Week and Most-Watched Week Records for Event on Golf Channel
 
GolfChannel.com On Pace to Set Best Ever Marks for Key Metrics
 
ORLANDO, Fla. (May 30, 2013) – Golf Channel’s tremendous momentum continues through the month of May, which was the network’s most-watched May ever.  Golf Channel has now opened 2013 with five consecutive record-setting months, an unprecedented accomplishment since Golf Channel became the cable home of the PGA TOUR in 2007.
 
Golf Channel drew 16.9 million unique viewers in May with a wide-spectrum of programming driving these record numbers, which have been built upon Golf Channel’s success in 2011 and 2012 as the fastest-growing television network among those serving 80 million-plus homes – a two-year span of unprecedented viewership growth since the network became part of the NBC Sports Group.  For 24-hour Total Day (6AM-6AM), 133,000 average viewers per minute were tuned into Golf Channel in May, representing a 19% year-over-year increase compared to May 2012 (112,000), 58% vs. May 2011 (84,000) and 49% vs. May 2010 (89,000), according to data released today by the Nielsen Company.
 
Viewership highlights from May include:
 
TOURNAMENTS:

·         Most-viewed and most-watched PLAYERS Championship week for Golf Channel in the event’s history with 11.5 million unique viewers (+23% YOY) and 212,000 average viewers per minute for 24-hour Total Day (+25% YOY), respectively.

·         Golf Channel’s early round coverage of THE PLAYERS on Thursday (1.73 million viewers) and Friday (1.7 million viewers) becoming the network’s 18th and 19th rounds or programs in 2013 with more than 1 million viewers.
 
NEWS:

·         LIVE FROM THE PLAYERS audience peaking on Sunday, May 12 with 1.4 million average viewers leading into and out of “Golf Channel on NBC” coverage (1:15-1:30 p.m. and 7:15-7:30 p.m.)  
·         MORNING DRIVE up 19% with 51,000 average viewers per minute vs. May of last year (43,000), including its highest hour of the year outside of Masters Week with 155,000 average viewers on Saturday, May 11, from 8-9 a.m.
 
ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING:

·         BIG BREAK MEXICO season premiere becoming the second most-watched debut for BIG BREAK with 279,000 average viewers.
·         FEHERTY episode featuring Rocco Mediate on Monday, May 13, matched this season’s premiere with Jack Nicklaus as the most-watched FEHERTY in 2013 with 193,000 average viewers.