Ryder Cup 2023 was the most watched edition of the sport on Sky Sports ever, with 3.7 million viewers tuning into the UK pay-tv network from 29 September to 1 October. The number of viewers under the age of 35 increased by 14% compared to 2021. This success is in stark contrast to the disappointing viewership on NBC in the US, where a total of 1.414 million viewers tuned in on 30 September and 1.315 million on 1 October to watch the US team be defeated – a major decrease compared to the last Ryder Cup in Europe in 2018, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report “Ryder Cup 2023: Post Event Analysis,” reveals the sponsorship, broadcasting, and attendance breakdown of this year’s competition. The 2023 Ryder Cup agreed on 47 broadcast deals and 34 sponsorship deals.

Olivia Snooks, Associate Sport Analyst at GlobalData comments: “Despite the disappointing viewership figures in the US, which are likely partially explained by the US team’s poor performance on the morning of 29 September, the Ryder Cup 2023 was a success. It was excellent that the 2023 edition connected with the younger fans, and social media had a big input into this.”

There were around a quarter of a million spectators who attended the 2023 Ryder Cup, which is significantly more than the 150,000 who attended the previous edition in the US. Fans from around 80 different countries applied to purchase tickets, providing an indication of the Ryder Cup’s global appeal. General admission tickets for the three days were sold out, with prices ranging between $53 and $277.

Snooks continues: “Though the Ryder Cup is conducted only in Europe and the US, the competition has become one of the world’s greatest sporting events. This was reflected in the interest in this year’s edition, with high demand for tickets across the globe. The general admission tickets were affordable, allowing for greater accessibility for fans.”

The 2023 Ryder Cup agreed sponsorship deals with 34 brands, including BMW and Rolex, as global partners. GlobalData estimates that the tournament had an annual sponsorship value of $88.7 million. Despite this, there is no prize money for those who compete in the Ryder Cup. Instead, it remains a competition of pride and the prestige of victory.

Snooks concludes: “As there is no prize money officially for the Ryder Cup, there are incentives for the players to win, including an increased profile and future motivation. As this is different from most other sporting events, this enables the unique pride that comes with being a Ryder Cup winner.”