The Open In The UK: 3 Million Fewer Viewers, Pricing Out Some?

While the move to NBC actually expanded the number of homes for The Open, the shift from BBC to Sky Sports in the UK was expected to mean a drop in audience size.

John Westerby in The Times wrote about a variety of topics, including the Sky ratings. The drop is pretty staggering.

Peak viewing figures on Sunday were around 1.2 million, compared with the 4.7 who watched Johnson's victory on the BBC on the extra day at St. Andrews last year. The highlights package on BBC2 on Sunday attracted about 1.5 million viewers.

On Monday in Glasgow, I had a random chat with a 22-year-old fan who was raving about the final round drama. I asked why he didn't go and it was cost related. He was genuinely dejected by the lost opportunity. When returning my car, the representative also raved about the final round and said his father attended, sitting on 18 all day. I asked why he didn't go. Again, cost was cited.

This year's Open did include free entry for those under 16 and special pricing for those 16-21. There was also the camping village to appeal to the festival-goer mindset. But the £80 entry fee, coupled with £15 for parking, is cost prohibitive for many and probably explains the small crowds Thursday through Saturday.

Given the R&A's desire to be accessible to more young people, the combination of millions not seeing the golf and plenty more feeling like they're unable to afford the event, can't be positives for The Open.