The 2024 Farmers Open Is Starting on a Wednesday to Avoid Football Games

Jan. 25 2024, Published 10:12 a.m. ET

Most PGA tournaments start on Thursday and last via Sunday. It's a custom that golf fanatics have change into beautiful familiar with, which is why such a lot of were at a loss for words to find that the 2024 Farmers Open started on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, and will likely be wrapped by means of Saturday, Jan. 27.

Following the discovery, that the Farmers Open was once driven ahead a day, many sought after to know what the reason for the trade was once. Here's the whole lot we learn about why the Farmers Open begins on a Wednesday as a substitute of a Thursday.

Why does the Farmers Open start on a Wednesday?

The Farmers Open hasn't historically started on a Wednesday, and the 2022 edition used to be the first to be moved ahead by way of a day. The decision used to be made in 2021, and it was made for a beautiful simple explanation why: The PGA sought after to get out of the means of the NFL playoffs. Both of this weekend's convention championship games will be held on Sunday, and much of the sports activities world can have their consideration firmly targeted on football.

Given that focus on the NFL, the PGA made the smart choice to carry the Farmers Open on days when it is cheap that golfing fanatics may in reality take note of it.

According to a document from the Sports Business Journal, 96 of the most sensible one hundred sports activities occasions with regards to viewership in the U.S. have been NFL games, and the Masters was once the highest-rated golfing tournament, coming in at 131st.

Before the agenda shift, the tournament clashed with championship weekend and drew the consideration away from the golf event and towards soccer video games that might in the long run come to a decision which teams would play in this 12 months's Super Bowl. CBS, which is broadcasting the match, could also be broadcasting the AFC Championship sport, so it is smart that the occasions don't battle with CBS's broadcasting schedule.

The Saudi-backed LIV Golf league has followed a identical technique, running onerous to get out of the way of the NFL on every occasion possible. It could also be unhappy for golf enthusiasts that their most well-liked sport has to get out of the way, but there are likely lots of golfing fanatics who are additionally enthusiastic about soccer. Now, viewers who're taken with each sports activities may not be made to choose from the two.

The NFL is the sports international's juggernaut.

Although there are many people in the U.S. who do not love football, the recreation stays by means of a long way the most popular in the U.S., incomes massive broadcast ratings in an generation when TV ratings are in most cases falling. The golfing global is far from on my own in relation to having to readjust its schedule round the NFL.

Everything from the Oscars to the debuts of latest TV presentations are planned largely around when football games can be airing. Networks know that they are able to draft off of the good fortune of those games in order to advertise their different providing. Equally vital, they know when to not agenda issues, as a result of there would be no level in broadcasting different vital stuff when an NFL recreation is on.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXSramam6Ses7p6wqikaKhfrLW6ecOonKxlpJ2ybrLAq6SeqqNivLGxzWaqrZmiqXqwuoywnJ2mlaixosU%3D