Debuting: PGA Tour's Digital Streaming Subscription Service

I'm not sure if the “Stop Missing, Start Watching" slogan will resonate, but the PGA Tour's pre-Golf Channel Thursday/Friday digital streaming package (plus marquee groups when Golf Channel is on) arrives this week.

The kneejerk take is to assume that the subscription option will likely only excite friends and family, except perhaps on a few rare days when some sort of must-see round is emerging. On the other hand, as noted with Fox's extensive U.S. Open package and to a lesser extent at the Masters where the selected groups can vary, the "featured group" component may be a better way to watch golf because (A) you see stars and (B) you get into the flow of a grouping, a round and get a better sense of the golf course by following one group.

There is also the intriguing ramification of the PGA Tour putting out an offering of their own which, at least in the featured group setting, will compete with their partner at the Golf Channel. Like other leagues who have started channels and supplemental coverage, it's an intriguing move that could be seen as the first step to an independent network approach (until they do the math and realize how nice it is to have someone else pay for the right to televise the product).

PGATOURLIVE is offering a free seven day sampler and remember, this is in partnership with Major League Baseball, pioneers in the streaming world. They have an incredible customer satisfaction record and are leaders in the world of streaming, so it will function well.

For Immediate Release:

PGA TOUR LIVE Debuts This Week at Quicken Loans National

First-of-its-Kind OTT Subscription Service Provides Exclusive Live Coverage of Featured Morning Groups during the First Two Rounds of Competition

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (July 28, 2015) – PGA TOUR fans will have access to Thursday and Friday tournament rounds for the first time ever beginning this week (July 30-31 from the Quicken Loans National) with the debut of the PGA TOUR’s first-ever, digital Over-The-Top subscription service. As announced in April, PGA TOUR LIVE, developed in partnership with MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), will provide fans access to exclusive live coverage of two different marquee morning groups featuring the TOUR’s biggest stars each day during Thursday and Friday tournament rounds that have never been available live.

“PGA TOUR LIVE is a groundbreaking service for golf fans, enabling them to watch live Thursday and Friday early morning action as soon as competition begins,” said Rick Anderson, the PGA TOUR’s Executive Vice President for Global Media. “We’re confident that this exclusive coverage of marquee groups, alongside our Thursday and Friday Golf Channel telecasts, has strong potential to build fan interest and viewership for our traditional television coverage.”

PGA TOUR LIVE begins with seven tournaments through the remainder of the 2014-15 PGA TOUR season and, moving forward, more than 30 PGA TOUR events per season. Initially available through a special seven-day free trial on iPhone, iPad and desktop/laptop platforms (at PGATOURLIVE.COM), fans will now be able to follow the game’s biggest names with full coverage from a dedicated broadcast team leading up to Golf Channel’s afternoon telecasts.

PGA TOUR LIVE debuts Thursday at 7:30 a.m. ET and will provide exclusive shot-by-shot coverage of the following groups on Thursday: 8:10 a.m., THE PLAYERS champion Rickie Fowler paired with Ben Crane and James Hahn, two of the players starring in the PGA TOUR LIVE ad campaign (see links below); 8:21 a.m., former Quicken Loans National champion and The Presidents Cup 2015 International Team vice-captain K.J. Choi from host country South Korea with International Team hopefuls Danny Lee of New Zealand and John Senden of Australia.

Friday’s 8:10 a.m. feature group includes three former Quicken Loans National champions: tournament host Tiger Woods, Bill Haas and Nick Watney. At 8:21 a.m., defending Quicken Loans National champion Justin Rose tees off with Jimmy Walker, No. 3 in the FedExCup points standings with two wins this season, and David Lingmerth of Sweden, who won his first PGA TOUR title last month at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance.

Following the conclusion of the featured groups on Thursday and Friday, PGA TOUR LIVE will shift its live broadcast coverage to the Featured Holes at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club – a pair of par-3s, the 11th and 16th. Overall, PGA TOUR LIVE will deliver access to more than 11 hours of live coverage to fans each day.

Hosting the coverage throughout the season will be veteran broadcasters John Swantek, Brian Katrek, Grant Boone and Ned Michaels. They will be joined by a team of former PGA TOUR regulars as on-course analysts: Bill Kratzert, Craig Perks, Phil Blackmar, Aaron Oberholser, John Maggines, Mark Carnevale, Phil Tataurangui and Gary Christian.

PGA TOUR LIVE initially will be available in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia and the United Kingdom. Other markets will follow.

Coinciding with PGA TOUR LIVE’s launch, a new print and on-air campaign featuring PGA TOUR players is debuting this week with the tagline: “Stop Missing. Start Watching.”

Their preview clip: