Golf’s newest Skins Game returns after a 17-year hiatus with major star power, yet its audience reach is already in question. On paper, this relaunch has all the ingredients: a sleek new course at Panther National (co-designed by golf royalty Jack Nicklaus and Justin Thomas), top-tier players such as Xander Schauffele, Keegan Bradley, and Tommy Fleetwood, and a bold format aiming to reinstate The Skins Game’s legacy.

The last time this event hit screens, interest didn’t exactly surge, and this year’s setup adds another wrinkle that could shrink its visibility even further. But what hurts most is its broadcasting. From 1983 to 2008, The Skins Game was broadcast on ESPN-TV. However, the 2025 edition is off traditional TV.

The Skins Game and an Exclusive Deal

It will stream exclusively on Prime Video thanks to a deal struck by the event’s new organizers, Pro Shop, in collaboration with PGA Tour Studios and content group Propagate Content. “We’ve taken up the mantle to bring back The Skins Game, and we’re proud to work alongside PGA TOUR Studios, Prime Video, and Propagate Content to reintroduce this iconic event and reclaim its rightful place on the sports calendar," said Co-Founder and President of Pro Shop, Chad Mumm.

Keegan Bradley has claimed the day’s first skin on the 5th hole, which is a rarity in Skins Game history. The last time the event went that deep before awarding a skin was in 1995, when Corey Pavin chipped in for an eagle to secure $100,000.

With Prime Video as the only broadcast platform, the event’s access depends heavily on streaming subscriptions and user intent. That’s a steep ask, especially since golf’s viewership tends to skew older and more accustomed to linear TV rather than streaming apps.

To draw attention, the revived event even introduces a fresh twist: a ‘reverse purse.’ Each of the four golfers begins with $1 million on the scoreboard; their fortunes swing up or down, hole by hole. That injects drama but also modernizes what used to be a more casual, entertainment-oriented event.

This isn’t mere conjecture: the precedent is already set. Earlier this year, golf’s blue-blood tournament, ‘The Masters Tournament,’ shocked fans by adding Prime Video to its broadcast mix. And if that reaction is anything to go by, the Skins Game may be stepping into the very same storm. Why the Amazon-only move might hurt viewership?

Is There Any Merit to the Amazon-Only Move?

With the broadcast funneled entirely through Prime Video, the real gamble is whether a large audience tunes in. Amazon Prime’s exclusive hold on the broadcast pushes The Skins Game into territory that naturally favors younger, streaming-native viewers. That’s great for reaching a modern audience, but it also sidelines the demographic that still forms golf’s core: older fans who rely on cable and rarely stray onto subscription apps.

Unlike majors that offer multiple viewing options, this event gives them no alternative path to tune in. And that’s where the risk sharpens. A single-platform setup doesn’t just limit convenience, and it narrows discoverability as well. Casual fans who might have stumbled onto the broadcast on network TV now need intent, a login, and a Prime subscription.

For a revival trying to rebuild relevance, shrinking the funnel may prove its biggest handicap. But what do you think of this broadcast sutiation? Give us your take in the comments.

Written by

Dolly Bhamrick

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi