The inaugural event by Fox Sports for LIV Golf stirred discussions within the industry due to its somewhat lackluster ratings during the league’s 2025 season opener. Fox Sports managed to attract an average of only 40,200 viewers for the final round held under the lights in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, starting at 10 a.m. ET on a Saturday. While FS1 saw an average viewership of 54,000 between 10 a.m. and Noon ET on Saturday, FS2 trailed behind with only 31,000 viewers during the final three hours, as reported by Nielsen ratings referenced by various sources.
These numbers marked an increase from the 12,000 average viewers over five hours on FS2 for the first day of the three-round event on Thursday. However, it aligns with the viewership levels of other daytime programming on the channel, as per Front Office Sports. The official ratings results from Fox Sports are still awaited, and it is anticipated that the inclusion of streaming figures could potentially boost the overall ratings.
The event’s timing was adjusted to enhance accessibility for viewers in the United States. This underwhelming start for Fox comes under its multi-year media rights agreement with the Saudi-supported league. Last season, the league’s events were broadcast on The CW Network with modest ratings, where the LIV Individual Championship averaged 89,000 viewers.
The league’s second event of the year is scheduled to kick off in Adelaide, Australia, followed by stops in Hong Kong and Singapore in March. LIV is set to make its United States debut for 2025 at Trump National Doral in Miami from April 4-6, with the final round slated to air on Fox’s main network on a Sunday afternoon.
The forthcoming events for LIV are also planned to be held internationally. The Miami tournament in April will serve as a significant test for Fox, with the final round airing on the main network during a traditional golf TV window on a Sunday afternoon.
In January, Fox Sports declared that it would broadcast live coverage of all 14 LIV tournaments on Fox or FS1, showcasing all three rounds of each event. Select rounds will be available on FS2, Fox Business Network, or the Fox Sports App, with streaming options provided on the Fox Sports App and LIV Golf Plus.
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neal highlighted the Fox deal as a pivotal moment, emphasizing the positive momentum observed in his first 40 days since succeeding Greg Norman in his role. O’Neal expressed optimism regarding the recent agreements with Fox in the U.S. and ITV in the UK, emphasizing that LIV Golf stands out as the only golf content available on over-the-air channels in the UK. He also noted successful partnerships and growing global interest in the league, with broadcasts now reaching 100 countries and territories and over 800 million households.
Reflecting on the advancements made, O’Neal conveyed his confidence in the current
