Today PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem announced that CBS and NBC would be extending their contracts through 2021. With the current deals running through 2012, the new nine-year agreements with CBS and NBC will extend from 2013 through the 2021 season, coinciding with the remaining years of the PGA TOUR’s exclusive 15-year cable television agreement with Golf Channel that began in 2007.
While Commissioner Finchem did not go into detail he did say that the rights fees were increased.
CBS Sports will continue its current broadcast television package with an average of 20 tournaments through the life of the agreement. Highlights of the CBS Sports schedule include the majority of the popular “West Coast Swing” beginning with the Farmers Insurance Open, Waste Management Phoenix Open, AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and Northern Trust Open; a strong spring and summer schedule including the Wells Fargo Championship, the Memorial Tournament Presented by Nationwide Insurance and the AT&T National; the end of the FedExCup Regular Season including the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and the play-in event to the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, the Wyndham Championship; and coverage of The Barclays to begin the Playoffs. CBS will broadcast more than 130 hours of live weekend coverage per year.
“CBS Sports is delighted to continue our long-standing relationship with the PGA TOUR,” said Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports. “As we have for more than 50 years, we value our partnership with the TOUR and have tremendous confidence that the TOUR is well-positioned for continued growth and success. This deal continues CBS Sports’ goal and strategy to renew our most important marquee properties in a way that is positive for CBS’ business interests. The TOUR and its sponsors have been great partners, and we look forward to continuing this partnership for many years to come.”
NBC will continue to have a strong first quarter of coverage including two World Golf Championships events – the Accenture Match Play Championship and Cadillac Championship – and the Southern Swing; extended coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship in May with limited commercial interruption; and the final three Playoff events: the Deutsche Bank Championship, BMW Championship and the FedExCup season-ending TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola. NBC also will continue coverage of the biennial Presidents Cup. In all, NBC will have more than 75 hours of live coverage annually.
Golf Channel will continue to open the PGA TOUR season with four-round coverage of the first three tournaments, provide exclusive early-round coverage of the tournaments televised by CBS and NBC, and provide four-round coverage of alternate events and the Fall Series. In addition, Golf Channel will continue to broadcast prime time replays of its early round coverage, and will have rights to expand its exclusive lead-in coverage and replays for every event televised by CBS and NBC.
We are excited to continue our longstanding partnership with the PGA TOUR, as it is an important pillar for NBC Sports and Golf Channel,” Lazarus said. “As we embark on another decade of coverage, we are proud to share an innovative vision with the PGA TOUR to utilize our diverse and unique array of assets to engage golf fans and grow the game in new ways.”
Here are some of the new highlights of the deal:
The new agreements also will provide for innovative coverage on digital platforms and the Golf Channel designed to enhance and expand the viewing experience for PGA TOUR fans. This includes:
- A wide range of simulcast coverage of live tournament action on various PGA TOUR digital platforms starting with PGATOUR.COM, as well as CBSports.com, NBCSports.com and GolfChannel.com
- Additional digital coverage of a number of tournaments featuring the ability to enjoy coverage from marquee holes, competition highlights and regular news updates from tournament sites; and
- In partnership with NBC and Golf Channel, innovative, new live complementary tournament coverage on Golf Channel, which will air along with NBC’s coverage
