We all know who leads the PGA Tour money list at any given time, but what golfer earns the most on-screen exposure for his sponsors? According to a recent Forbes article, Rory McIlroy was the biggest winner for his sponsors, generating $16.2 million in on-air time in 2011 according to brand analysis and research firm Repucom. The company tracks the time a sponsors’ logo appears on screen during each golf tournament television broadcast. Repucom then calibrates the exposure numbers along with the Nielsen ratings to come up with a final media value projection.
McIlroy earned roughly $8 million in global prize money in 2011 and also garnered an estimated $7 million off the course from sponsors. His total earnings nearly matched the TV exposure that his sponsor’s logos’ received throughout the season.
The most watched golf events are typically the four major championships. These events also typically provide the most bang for the buck in terms of TV time for sponsors. With massive audiences tuned in for events like The Masters, players like South African Louis Oosthuizen can generate tremendous exposure for their associated businesses when in contention.
Oosthuizen was ranked second on the PGA Tour in media exposure among golfers in 2012 through the Players Championship with $6.3 million. The majority of his TV time was due to his runner-up finish in a thrilling playoff at the 2012 Masters in Augusta, Georgia.
The leading player so far in generating media on the PGA Tour in 2012 is Phil Mickelson. Phil also played well at the Masters and has five top ten finishes so far this season.
Mickelson sponsor KPMG is leveraging Phil’s popularity to help promote their KPMG Family for Literacy program. Every time someone purchase’s Phil’s new blue hat, KPMG’s Family for Literacy will donate 3 books to help children in need. To learn more about the program, visit KPMG’s Family for Literacy website.
