With record cable ratings for a golf event, “The Match II” delivered. It may now be delivering on a more annual basis.
Arash Markazi of the Los Angeles Times reports that talks have commenced regarding the possibility of making it an annual event featuring Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and various other athletes and celebrities.
As originally envisioned, the sequel to the 2018 exhibition between Woods and Mickelson would have had Tom Brady and Steph Curry as the non-golfer golfers who made it a tag-team match. Manning eventually got the nod instead, given the natural rivalry with Brady.
Some would say that it was the Manning-Brady angle that made the event the success that it was, and that maybe “The Match III” should include the two quarterbacks paired with other pro golfers. Regardless, anything that gathers nearly six million viewers on average during the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend has legs, and the event undoubtedly will continue for as long as it performs like the most recent one did.
In addition to generating record ratings, the event raised more than $20 million for COVID-19 relief.
