Do You Watch The Masters While You’re at Work?
Published March 27, 2023, By: Andrew Wilsher
The biggest golf tournament of the year is almost here, marking the unofficial start of golf season…but guess what? You’ll probably be toiling away at your desk during the first two rounds of The Masters. Yup, ‘work.’ That four-letter word that is sure to put a damper on just about any positive mood you might find yourself in. The good news is the other four-letter word, ‘golf,’ is quite literally at your fingertips to turn on and tune in to the tantalizing live coverage. And, if you didn’t already know, The Masters has the best app out there when it comes to watching any live sporting event. Plus, it’s 100% free! We call that a win-win!
At Pickswise, we had a hunch that more than a few golf fans will have Augusta on the brain while they’re stuck at work. So we asked over 2,000 golf fans across the country if they were planning on tuning in for live coverage of the event during those insufferable work hours (for reference, the tournament begins on Thursday, April 6 at 7:30 a.m. eastern time); and for those who said yes, we asked how they plan on watching the tournament while they should be working.
Flying Under the Radar
Here’s what we got: 56% of the golf fans we polled said, yes, they do plan on watching the tournament while at work. Hooray! Nearly half gave a thumbs down. Boo. So we wondered if watching the event at their place of work somehow violates their company’s policy. 82% said it does, while 18% said no. Does that actually surprise anyone, though? You’re at work to do a job, but when The Masters is on, let’s face it, all bets are off! Unless, you know, you’re actually betting on the tournament. Most of those we polled shared they work in a professional or office setting; a whopping 68%. Another 15% shared said they work as service professionals, 10% as laborers, 5% as transportation workers, and 2% identified their field of work to be other.
Since it’s 2023, it would stand to reason we probably shouldn’t expect someone who plans on watching The Masters during work hours to watch it on any device other than their smartphone. Right? Unsurprisingly, more than half (61% to be exact!) said they’ll be watching it on their phone. 17% said they’ll be watching it on their work computer, 13% on their personal computer, and 9% on a shared TV or computer. Have they ever been reprimanded for watching a sporting event (or any event for that matter) during work hours? Only 7% said they had. If you’re one of the lucky majority, give some sympathy to your pals who got caught!
Somebody’s Got a Case of the Mondays
For the minority (44%) of those we polled, claiming they wouldn’t be watching the Masters while at work, we learned for most, it’s because their working conditions simply won’t allow it. A further 21% claimed to be too busy to watch, 16% said it was against company policy, and the remaining 4% said they simply were not that interested. Fair enough. But The Masters only comes around once per year. And it’s not like it goes on for months and months like the NBA Playoffs! But for those experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out), fear not! You don’t have to suffer in solitude. A whopping 86% of those who won’t be watching really wish they could. Meanwhile, the other 14% probably put ketchup on their steak or wear socks with sandals.
Have you ever called out sick from work to watch The Masters? Contracted a severe case of the nine-iron flu? You’ve probably thought about it. Would you call out sick from work to watch The Masters if given the chance? Most people we polled said no. Don’t believe us? Believe it. Party poopers, we tell you! Fewer than 10% said they’d pull a Ferris Bueller to watch the event, while only 12% threw their “friends” under the bus and said that they’d done it. Do you know how many people pretended to be sick the day after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl?! A ton. Come on people! Where’s your sense of sporting adventure?
For some of us, at Pickswise, watching The Masters at work is an annual tradition (bosses, if you’re reading this, we’re only kidding). So we’re on board for a little insubordination at the beginning of each April. Still, we get it, watching sports during working hours isn’t for everyone. Some like to actually work. But for the bold, cubicle dwelling legends who walk among us, keep up the good “work”.
Methodology
In March 2023, we surveyed 2,051 self-described golf fans who leave home to go to work. The average age of respondents was 39.3 years. Median income of those polled was $88,256.
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