Travelers Posts Strong Ratings For CBS And Golf Channel Despite Another Rain Delay

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Good signs are aplenty in the latest ratings news, this time for the 2020 Travelers Championship.

Even with only one certified superstar in Dustin Johnson contending, CBS limited in production-values and a so-so ratings start at Colonial, the Sunday broadcast earned a 2.0 final round overnight rating despite a rain delay on the back nine. That’s up 43% vs. last year and fell just short of NASCAR’s Geico 500 for top sports event of the weekend.

Golf Channel saw its biggest audiences since the restart, topping an average audience of over a 1 million with Sunday’s lead-in coverage (Saturday did not include any due to tee times moving up).

Even without the traditional fan energy that is so much apart of the Travelers viewing experience, note how the audience grew each of the three days on Golf Channel.

From ShowBuzzDaily where you can also see how other sports fared:

**Paulsen at SportsMediaWatch.com with more analysis of the strong viewership week, including where the huge lead-in number ranked this year (highest since Pebble Beach Sunday, always one of the biggest of the PGA Tour season).

SBJ: FOX Initiated U.S. Open Chats Two Months Ago, "Never Fit Into" Network's Plans

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Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand helps fill out the shocking exit from golf by Fox Sports with several insights into the deal announced Monday, including this about when discussions started.

Two months ago, after the USGA decided to postpone the U.S. Open to September, Fox Sports execs Eric Shanks and Larry Jones reached out to Pete Bevacqua and Jon Miller at NBC Sports to see if their network -- which owns Golf Channel -- would be willing to carry some of this year’s event. Fox’s fall schedule is jam-packed, and it saw NBC as a potential lifeline to help it carry and sell one of golf’s four majors. Early in the discussions, it became clear that NBC wanted a bigger piece of the USGA package, and Fox wanted out.

Write down time!

Ourand also noted the ultimate problem dooming the Fox-USGA partnership had nothing to do with the production side of the presentation after the first year struggles:

Golf never fit Fox: Fox gets a bad rap for its golf production. The network’s performance at last year’s U.S. Open in Pebble Beach was praised widely. But golf never fit into Fox’s plans. The Fox execs that originally cut this deal -- Chase Carey and Randy Freer -- left the company soon afterwards, and nobody was left to champion the sport. Fox never was close to adding to its golf portfolio; it wasn’t a serious contender for either British Open or PGA Tour rights, which should have been the first sign that it wanted to get out of the USGA deal.

Fox’s Joe Buck took to Twitter to downplay the stellar work he did, particularly when his big league chops shined during a rules fiasco in 2016 and course setup issues in 2018.

Brad Faxon responded to several Tweets, including this:

USGA Confirms "New Media Rights Partnership" With NBCUniversal, To Include Golf Channel And Peacock Coverage

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Press releases these days are usually so light on details and heavy on the fluff. Not this!

Let’s get to it, For Immediate Release:

USGA Announces New Media Rights Partnership with NBCUniversal  

Move is a win for golf fans  

Wow, even the subhead has layers.

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (June 29, 2020) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that the United States media rights for its championships have been transferred to NBCUniversal (NBCU), effective immediately.   

With the COVID-19 pandemic leading to the shift in dates for the U.S. Open from June to September, finding the necessary broadcast hours presented a challenge for FOX Sports, given their commitments to the National Football League, Major League Baseball and college football. What started as an exploration of how FOX Sports and NBC/Golf Channel could work together this unique year led to a broader conversation and eventual agreement for NBCU to take over the USGA media rights.  

No kidding.

As a result, NBCUniversal will broadcast the four championships the USGA will conduct in 2020: the 120th U.S. Women’s Amateur (Aug. 3-9 at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md.); the 120th U.S. Amateur (Aug. 10-16 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore.), the 120th U.S. Open (Sept. 17-20 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.) and the 75th U.S. Women’s Open (Dec. 10-13 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas).  

So soon!

“We are thrilled to acquire the remainder of FOX Sports’ USGA agreement, and will carry the designated USGA events, including the U.S. Open, through 2026,” said Pete Bevacqua, president of NBC Sports Group. “Adding these prestigious USGA events to our already incredibly deep golf business, led by our long-term PGA Tour partnership, as well as The Open Championship and the Ryder Cup, positions us as absolute leaders in the golf space. This deal is advantageous for all parties, including NBC Sports, Golf Channel, Peacock and the USGA, but also FOX Sports, and we thank them for working with us to complete this transaction. It further solidifies our platforms as the destination for golf viewers and enthusiasts, with NBC, Golf Channel, GOLFNow and GOLFPASS.”  

Peacock, NBCUniversal’s new streaming app, debuts in less than two weeks and now adds a pretty hefty sports component.

“Partnering with NBCUniversal, including Golf Channel, gives us an unparalleled opportunity to connect and engage with the core golf audience more directly and routinely, and as a nonprofit, to continue to have a significant and lasting impact on the game,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA.  

While the details are confidential,

Well, except to the AP and Wall Street Journal…

the term of the agreement between NBCUniversal and the USGA will be the same as the previous agreement with FOX Sports, carrying through December 31, 2026, and the financial remuneration for the USGA will remain the same for the duration of the agreement. This allows the USGA, as a nonprofit, to continue to fulfill its mission to champion and advance the game of golf, which includes conducting 14 annual Open and Amateur championships, serving golfers and golf courses and providing pathways into the game.  

Translation, FOX will be paying a lot of money to make the deal go away.

Starting in 2021, when the USGA’s full championship schedule will be played, the agreement with NBCU will allow the USGA to continue the uninterrupted coverage it provides to television fans thanks to its longstanding partnership with Rolex. In 2021, that means eight of the USGA’s televised championships will be completely uninterrupted, including the U.S. Women’s Open and the Walker Cup. For the U.S. Open, thanks again to Rolex, NBCU will continue the tradition of showing the last hour of the final round uninterrupted.   

To Fox and Rolex’s credit, this was an incredible “tradition” that started in 2018 and one everyone hopes can continue if financially feasible.

“In addition to moving our media rights to NBCUniversal, we are also excited by the opportunities that will come from extensive coverage on NBC’s Peacock platform,” said Davis. “We have implemented a defined strategy to build our digital offerings over the last six years and have achieved significant success. The reach and engagement of our championships will only increase through the NBCUniversal family, including their commitment to bring their “Live From” program to the U.S. Women’s Open beginning in 2021 and to cover Golf’s Longest Day linked to U.S. Open qualifying.”  

It’s back!

Golf’s longest and arguably one of its very best days had been covered by Golf Channel prior to the rights transfer, with Fox retaining a wrap-up show element that aired late in the day.

Ok, here’s where we praise FOX…

Heralded as a landmark partnership between FOX Sports and the USGA in 2013, the network first began broadcasting USGA championships in the 2015 season. At the time, the network made its first foray into golf under the talented leadership of Mark Loomis, executive producer of USGA on FOX. Loomis developed a top-notch team of on-air talent and production professionals. This group not only brought to life the annual U.S. Open broadcast, but also the seven other USGA championships it aired each season. 

“FOX Sports has cherished its time as home to the USGA championships for the past six years. This is a relationship and partnership that has been second to none,” said Eric Shanks, CEO and executive producer of FOX Sports.

I’m not sure I would have used second to none, now that it’s none. But go on…

“Recent events calling for the shift of the U.S. Open created scheduling challenges that were difficult to overcome. While we are proud of the success we’ve built over these years, this is a win for golf fans everywhere, a win for the USGA and a win for FOX and NBC Sports.” 

Wins for everybody…

“We have genuinely appreciated the partnership that we have had with FOX Sports over the last six years and are grateful for their steadfast efforts to produce world-class events,” said Davis. “FOX brought significant innovation to golf broadcasting by elevating technology and enhancing the fan experience.”

Very true and let’s hope it continues for the remaining seven years.

And with that ends one of the more bizarre chapters in USGA history.

AP: FOX Asks Out Of USGA Contract, NBC To Pick Up Remaining Seven Years

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AP’s Doug Ferguson reports that Fox Sports has “asked to end” its 12-year USGA contract and, over the last two weeks, a deal was ironed out.

Andrew Marchand of the News Corp-owned New York Post, confirmed the news in a Tweet. An announcement is expected Monday.

From Ferguson’s story, the pandemic appears to have played a role:

One person said NBC would pay for just under half of the rights fee through the rest of the contract.

Two other people said the deal began to take shape this month, especially with the U.S. Open being moved to September during the opening month of the NFL.

One person said Fox was contemplating moving the U.S. Open to FS1, an idea that was rebuffed by Mike Davis, the CEO of the USGA. That led to deeper conversations about the contract and how it could be resolved.

Fox famously secured the rights starting in 2015 after the USGA enjoyed a successful run with NBC and ESPN. While Fox predictably struggled early with production elements, marketing and finding the right announcer mix, they eventually delivered the broadcast innovation, strong production valus and a cohesive announce team at the last few U.S. Opens, where sound, visuals and the broadcasters excelled.

No Laying Up noted this:

The greater issue may have been a combination of economics, scheduling and the pending NFL rights deal. As Ferguson’s story notes, this fall’s U.S. Open at Winged Foot—if it goes forward—was going to be largely buried on Fox Sports 1, the cable network that motivated Fox’s excessive spend in the first place.

Financially, someone is taking a hit, but NBC does not appear to be that party. From the Wall Street Journal’s Joe Flint:

Monday’s announcement following Sunday night’s orchestrated rollout to media should shed light on where other USGA events and early round coverage will land. We might also learn more about what precisely prompted the parties involved to work out the deal now. But if Ferguson and Flint are correct, FOX will be paying a significant amount of money annually to not televise USGA events.

Ultimately, however, the deal is a monster failure that should haunt the careers of Sarah Hirshland (now head of the U.S. Olympic Committee) and then-USGA president Glen Nager (since seen suing the United States). Then there was USGA Executive Committee member Gary Stevenson, whose conflicts of interest and lack of vision proved robust. He who is now working his magic for MLS. And I’d probably include former USGA President Tom O’Toole in there too while we’re throwing monster point-missers under the bus.

For some background on the deal when it went down, I’d point you to the late, great Frank Hannigan’s Letter to this website back in September, 2013, which considers the issues involved in a USGA television negotiation.

Rain Delayed RBC Heritage Final Round Averages 2 Million Viewers

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The PGA Tour’s “Return to Golf” featured pretty solid viewer sizes given the Sunday rain delay, with noticeably strong performances during Golf Channel’s broadcast of PGA Tour Live’s Featured Group coverage.

The numbers were comparable on CBS and well up on Golf Channel compared to the 2019 Travelers played last year in the same slot.

From ShowBuzzDaily:

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Note that Golf Channel picked up 1.2 million viewers when CBS signed off in part of the country due to teh delay.

The 2019 Travelers ratings played during a comparable week:

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**Paulsen at SportsMediaWatch offered a similar assessment: weak CBS ratings given the lack of competition, but a strong showing for Golf Channel.

Golf Channel also averaged a 0.6 (+13%) and 935,000 (+16%) leading into CBS coverage, its largest lead-in audience at the Heritage on record. That comes a week after the network delivered its largest first, second, third and final round audiences ever at Colonial, including a tournament-record 1.05 million for a final round lead-in.

Third round action on Saturday averaged a 1.3 (-7%) and 1.82 million (-10%) on CBS and a 0.51 (+11%) and 739,000 (+7%) on Golf Channel.

"Golf Channel announces major layoffs coming to Orlando-based staff"

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Golfweek’s Jason Lusk and Adam Schupak report that “most” of Golf Channel’s Orlando-based staff will be laid off in two waves. The news was delivered in a Microsoft Teams call by an unnamed executive and human resources officer.

All employees will be allowed to reapply for their jobs – if they’re still available. Those whose jobs are eliminated in Phase I will find out as early as Tuesday that their current jobs will end August 29. Those in Phase II will be let go sometime between Oct. 31 and Dec. 31.

“As we announced in February, Golf Channel will be moving its media operations primarily to NBC Sports’ headquarters in Stamford, Conn., by year-end, while GOLFNOW and GOLFPASS will continue to operate from Orlando,” a Golf Channel spokesman said in a statement to Golfweek on Monday.

The report says only “a small fraction of existing jobs are expected to be made available for relocation” to Stamford, Connecticut. Initially the move was announced as part of a “geographic consolidation”.

The lost jobs come in all categories, from camera operators to producers to website writers, Golfweek was told by several people familiar with the layoffs, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity since they are not authorized to address the matter publicly.

Golf Channel’s parent company, NBC Sports, recently renewed its PGA Tour television rights deal at a significantly higher price despite sliding ratings and cord-cutting, with the PGA Tour taking on more production, as first reported here.

Today In Microphone Wearing Wars: Koepka Scolds Announcers, Hadwin Gives Us Access To His Penalty

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As galleries are kept away and likely will for most tournaments this year, the importance of sound continues to be a topic. Who knew it was this sensitive? Oh right, anyone who has dealt with modern golf pros who think they’re carrying out an NSA mission.

World No. 2 Brooks Koepka added this on the eve of the 2020 RBC Heritage at Harbour Town, reports Stephen Fastenau of the Island Packet.

Asked about his thought on players wearing microphones after his first round at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, Koepka didn’t hold back.

“I don’t understand why they want us to wear a mike when there’s a boom mike that stands 10 feet away from every shot that I hit,” Koepka said after opening with a 4-under-par 67 in his first start at Harbour Town Golf Links. “If the announcers would just shut up and listen, you could hear every word that we’re talking about.”

For Thursday’s Heritage first round, Adam Hadwin wore one. Besides providing several instances of insight and something different than stock, Melatonin-producing coverage, the Canadian gave us more than he ever hoped. After touching what he thought was a rock near his bunkered ball, he immediately declared it was, actually, sand. He immediately suspected he’d made a mistake and we got to hear the entire exchange with official Mark Dusbabek thanks to his microphone.

Brian Wacker with the full conversation here for GolfDigest.com.

Sadly, video showing the initial realization of the moment is not on the official Tour accounts, so enjoy this truncated version until the Cult PVB Fun Police zap what is a very harmless and informative mistake.

2.1: Charles Schwab Hits Event High But It's No 6 In The Ratings Department

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CBS did not make any ratings predictions for the “Return to Golf”, but the Charles Schwab Challenge tournament director predicted a final round rating of a 6, which would have been equal to a lot of majors.

The rating is dismal when you consider:

—This was the first live, official PGA Tour event since mid-March.

—Network competition was non-existent. Fox’s presentation of NASCAR was delayed by rain (eventually airing in prime time). NBC was airing the Beverly Hills Dog Show (again). And ABC wheeled out Last Dance (still!).

—Heading into the final round, the leaderboard featured star players and the promise of a close finish (and it was, with Daniel Berger beating Collin Morikawa in a sudden death playoff).

For Immediate Release:

CBS SPORTS DELIVERS MOST-WATCHED FINAL ROUND OF CHARLES SCHWAB CHALLENGE IN 16 YEARS

 Final Round Averaged 3.091 Million Viewers, Up +50% from Last Year

CBS Sports’ return to live PGA TOUR golf scored with viewers as Sunday’s coverage of the Charles Schwab Challenge was the tournament’s most-watched final round in 16 years. 

The final round averaged 3.091 million viewers, an increase of +50% from last year. The national average household rating/share also was up +50% with a 2.1/6.

 The audience for the final round peaked at 3.88 million viewers and a 2.6/7 household rating/share from 5:45-6:00 PM, ET

Thursday’s opening round drew the best non-major Thursday since the 2019 Masters, with an average audience of 683,000.

Friday’s second round dropped to a .07 and 540,000 viewer average, which, while not great, at least edged out Dead Files Repack: TDFL-7R2R04H’s .07 on Travel Channel. So golf has that going for it.

Charles Schwab Challenge: Winners And Losers From The 2020 "Return to Golf"

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Busy week! The PGA Tour is back in the COVID-19 era and there was a lot to unpack.

Winners

Daniel Berger – On the comeback trail from a wrist injury and in extra-fine form when the season was abruptly stopped, the Golf Gods guided this once-young gun back to winning glory. His tears of joy made up for the lack of energy caused by the lack of fans. It was immensely satisfying to see what the win meant to Berger. Thanks.

Collin Morikawa – Just another stellar week from, eh em, the game’s steadiest player. A slight push on a putt that clearly was harder than it looked (ask Xander), and a heartbreaking loss should do nothing to discourage this young star.

Xander Schauffele – Somehow recovers from an epic misplay from a 15th hole fairway bunker and into the water to sink a long bogey putt, then birdies 16, suffers a brutal horseshoe lipout at 17 and conducts himself with class after the round. But it was the obvious facial disappointment (and was that steam out of the ears?) made us realize we were watching golf that mattered.

Colonial – Pre-tournament week we heard it was firm and fast, but the course was clearly softened up early in the week to protect the bent greens and move a bloated 148-player field around. Things firmed up enough on the weekend to weed out those who were just a bit off their game. As it should be.

CBS – They pulled it off with a strange concoction of announcers in one location and tech teams in others. There were polished new almost 3D graphics paid some sponsor bills, added some stats and offered a fresh look.

Live Drone – While wind probably minimized its usage Sunday, CBS’s use of a live drone took advantage of having no fans on site to provide us some different perspectives Saturday, including trailing leaders up some fairways and overall, delivering a sense of the golf course and scene. Just don’t give us a groovy view and then hide it with a leaderboard.

Points Lists And Other Signs Of Not Grasping The Current Times – Kudos to all for minimizing talk of money, points races and most other signs of excess that no one needed to hear about this week. Oh sure we got FedExCup lists but overall, talk of money and perks was minimal.

PGA Tour Messaging On COVID-19 – Jay Monahan and team said all the right things heading into the week about wanting to set the right example, outlined plenty of extra-stringent guidelines and even texted players, caddies and others reminders during the week to set an example. The execution within range of a national television audience, however… 

Losers 

PGA Tour Execution Of Distancing, Safety Precautions – The sight of multiple PGA Tour officials without masks indoors or outdoors and not even trying to physically distance was jarring enough that, oh, everyone who knows who is who noticed during Sunday’s final round. If you flipped over to rain-delayed NASCAR, masks were aplenty and the safety rules were still in full display (even as they are several races into their restart and could easily grow lax). While the CBS crew fully complied, players and caddies understandably struggled with some of the guidelines (wiping flagsticks and rakes down is pretty silly). But those with a PGA Tour employee ID number need to do better when the cameras are on. Or any time.

PGA Tour Stars – Ok, that was one less-than-idea day all the way around, especially for the world No. 1 posting 74 after a front nine 41.  But Sunday was a good reminder that the excessively-worshiped official world ranking does not mean a thing once you step on the first tee.

Golf As The First Sport Back Excitement – A 1.5 overnight rating for Saturday’s action is not the stuff of, “the world was watching” and Monahan did not make the invite list to Sportscenter’s commissioner roundtable tomorrow.

Brandel Chamblee – Not the way to draw in a younger audience.

CBS Commercial Load – Saturday’s broadcast went along pretty smoothly but as we were warned early in the week, “Eye On The Course” would be used heavily and it was indeed, to the usual Sunday horror of social media watchers overwhelmed by make goods, ads and a pre-recorded Zoom with Charles Schwab (it was at least useful since a surprising number were not aware he is a living, breathing person-American…). With a deep leaderboard needing some time for viewers to take in, they were often hurriedly taken down. Storytelling for the new audience expected to tune in could not happen, and the telecast could have used a ticker to show us scores, stats and take some burden off the telecast having to deal with so many promotional obligations.

“Inside The Ropes” – The new on-course interview element may have been the single worst waste of time in golf television history. I think I speak for all but immediate families or maybe sponsors paying for collar logos, that we did not need to know what Jim Furyk is working on or that Keegan Bradley is happy to be back playing golf in full hostage video voice.  

PGA Tour Live - Given the chance to be lead-in coverage on CBS, we were reminded that the Tour’s in-house effort is very much in the broadcasting minor leagues. It’s cruel to judge much in such a strange time for TV crews, but without fans the camera angles remained awful, there were focus issues and just an overall state TV vibe that made it tough sledding.

Golf Without Fans – The energy just wasn’t there Sunday despite the best efforts of the CBS announcers. While the week showed the PGA Tour can go on with a less exciting product and still function, the three remaining majors have to be re-examined if fan-free or even fan-minimal is how they want to present their jewels.

Video: Nantz's Introduction To CBS's Return In Era Of Unrest, COVID-19

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As previewed earlier in the week during a CBS conference call, Jim Nantz opened the telecast with some prepared thoughts. Here it is if you missed the telecast.

PGA Tour Return Draws 683,000 Average, Most Watched Non-Major Thursday Since 2019 Players

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The COVID-19 era’s first official full-field event drew a healthy 683k viewers during its Golf Channel window, and another 447k viewers when a PGA Tour Live free preview ran showing the 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge. (Comparisons to last year’s May playing are in the press release below and the primary sign of a ratings bump.)

Before any Tour execs start elbow bumping over the numbers, ShowBuzzDaily says the highly anticipated return’s .12 rating landed 68th on the list of top cable programs Thursday. The live golf scored 82nd for the morning PGA Tour Live airing.

The 69th ranked show Thursday was Loud House on Nickelodeon, while 70th was Untold Stories of Hip Hop on something called WETV. (No clue. I have a better chance of finding TruTV on the dial.)

For Immediate Release:

PGA TOUR’S RETURN BECOMES MOST-WATCHED ROUND 1 

SINCE 2019 PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP; MOST-WATCHED

AT EVENT SINCE 2003 FEATURING ANNIKA SORENSTAM

                                                                                                                     

FORT WORTH, Texas (June 12, 2020) – The PGA TOUR returned to competition yesterday for the first time since March 12, as GOLF Channel’s live coverage of Thursday’s opening round of the Charles Schwab Challenge earned a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 683,000 average viewers (4-7p ET), up 160% vs. opening round of the 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge (263k TAD). Yesterday becomes the most-watched Thursday telecast on the PGA TOUR (excluding Presidents Cup) since the 2019 PLAYERS Championship (907k average viewers). It also marks the most-watched opening round telecast at the event (672k average viewers) in its 14 years on GOLF Channel (2007-’20), and since 2003, when LPGA Tour player Annika Sorenstam competed alongside her PGA TOUR counterparts.

Additional highlights:

  • GOLF Channel (4-7p ET) on Thursday was the No. 1 cable sports network by 225%, and No. 5 overall cable network.

  • Persons 25-54 saw 203k average viewers, +421% vs. opening round of 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge (39k average viewers).

  • GOLF Channel also preceded traditional live tournament coverage on Thursday with expanded inside-the-ropes coverage of PGA TOUR LIVE featured groups, which earned 447k average viewers (Noon-4p ET), +252% vs. The Honda Classic opening round PGA TOUR LIVE featured groups in February (127k).

David Barron On Lance Barrows Working His Last Colonial

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Plenty of good stuff in this Lance Barrow profile by David Barron in the Houston Chronicle. The longtime CBS golf producer is working his final Colonial tournament since joining the network in 1977.

There was this on his predecessor Frank Chirkinian:

Along with CBS veterans like Steve Milton and Jim Rikhoff, Barrow is one of the few network employees who worked with Chirkinian, who relished his nickname as “The Ayatollah.”

“My personality is different, but Frank taught all of us,” he said. “We used to call CBS the ‘Chirkinian Broadcast School.’

“If somebody compared our telecast with Frank’s, which is hard to do because of technology and all the things we have now, I would view that as the ultimate compliment. I’ve always tried to ensure that nothing gets in the way of covering the golf tournament and the competition, and that’s what Frank wanted to do, too.”

"Mic'd Rickie Fowler delivered good stuff, even if his game did not"

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AP’s Stephen Hawkins covered the television angle to the “Return To Golf” and Rickie Fowler’s “mic’d up” approach got the most attention. Deservedly so. As I Tweeted at one point, had Fowler not done so I’m pretty sure the telecast would have been considered a real drag. But just getting inside the ropes with him a few times and overhearing other comments from his group, took us to some places we rarely get in a PGA Tour event.

And there was a bit of a rocky start when a normal microphone picked up an obscenity-infused compliment. Here is the offending moment, should be inclined.

From Hawkins’ story:

“Well, we were hoping for better audio with no fans, surrounding the course,” commentator Jim Nantz then said on the broadcast. “Apologize if anybody was offended with what they may have heard there.”

That threesome of the world’s top three players — No. 1 Rory McIlroy, No. 2 Rahm and No. 3 Brooks Koepka — was being followed by TV support people, a coach, a trainer and a small group of media during the first PGA Tour event in three months.

The expletive was audible even though none of the players in that group were wearing a microphone, like Rickie Fowler did throughout the first round of Charles Schwab Challenge.

As for Fowler, Brian Wacker at GolfDigest.com covers the highlights of what we learned and notes what just hearing these exchanges did to help in a fan-free environment.

In the process of shooting a three-over 73 that included four bogeys in the last five holes, he offered a PG-version of commentary that was mostly a terrific listen to a world so few have access to. It wasn’t explosive, but did provide added value, especially as the day wore on.

After the first two holes of silence—sans for the sounds of Fowler’s shirt moving as he walked—viewers were welcomed into the conversation as Fowler and his caddie, Joe Skovron, shared their thoughts on a 154-yard approach with a 8-iron that sailed about 10 yards too far.

He also details the very fascinating Inside Baseball discussion between Fowler and caddie Joe Skovron.

Schwab Challenge Tourney Director Predicts Huge TV Ratings For Colonial Return

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Art Stricklin reports this bold prediction for ratings this week.

Fifteen of the top 20 players in the world are in the field, including all of the top five. Earlier in the week, Colonial tournament director Michael Tothe said he expects huge TV ratings.

“It’s won’t be the best ever [in golf], because we don’t have Tiger in the field and he drives everything, but I think we’ll do a 6.0 or higher,” Tothe said, referring to the Nielson [sp] ratings. “If we had Tiger we could do a 10.”

In the last decade, Colonial has never drawn better than a 2.0 rating.

6’s and 10’s would put the event in very elite ratings company.

Coverage windows and other broadcast details are here.

CBS Previews The "Return To Golf" At Colonial: More Sound, Multiple Working Locations, Drones & More

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My main takeaways from the CBS call previewing this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge from Colonial:

—The crew this week will work like no TV team ever has in stifling heat with a severe reduction in on-site personnel. Drink those fluids!

—This is going to cost more despite keeping a production team working in six locations (including New Zealand!) and announcers in two spots (Colonial and Orlando). CBS Sports President Sean McManus confirmed the crew’s locales and increased cost element late in the call.

—Players still haven’t come around on the idea of us hearing more of what they say, a problem that can (and will) be solved my market forces.

—The “confession cam” as dubbed by Jim Nantz smells like one of those really swell ideas when it started before the committee turned a thoroughbred into a camel.

—Expect a ton of commercial breaks. But “Eye on the Course” will be used more than ever, according to McManus.

—Nantz has a tough task on his hands both in crafting words and the right tone, though seems up to it.

—Crews will work two weeks and then get replaced by a new crew for the next two weeks during a grueling 11-week stretch for CBS.

—Without fans a live drone sounds like it’s going to happen, pending a bit more testing.

Regarding the details, here is Bob Harig at ESPN.com on the confession cam where a camera will be positioned and players will answer a question on a printed card:

The "inside the ropes'' feature also will be experimented with and staged perhaps on the 10th tee or after the 10th hole. Players can answer a quick question to be taped and used later, possibly compiled with other answers.

"I think that can make a big difference,'' Nantz said. "It's a wonderful opportunity for the game. They have a chance to go before a sports-starved nation and create a wider audience. But we need the players' help.''

The primary issue seems to be the idea of asking players to break their concentration.

With 148 players, hot weather, four a robust senior division and a golf course too short for the modern game there should be some good logjams where players will run for the confines of a shaded tent.

Doug Ferguson on how the announce situation will work:

CBS is doing its part of reduce health risks with a production crew that McManus said will be roughly half of what it is for a normal PGA Tour event, with operations such as graphics and video shading in six locations.

Faldo will be at Golf Channel studios in Orlando, Florida, along with Frank Nobilo and Ian Baker-Finch, who usually are in towers on the course. The other talent at Colonial will be Dottie Pepper and Mark Immelman as on-course reporters.

There will be smaller production trucks spread across the compound to promote social distancing. Nantz will call the action all four days, as the same production will be used for the weekday coverage shown on Golf Channel.

Ryan Lavner with this from McManus regarding players and sound.

A few players have already agreed to wear a microphone during this week’s telecast, part of what CBS chairman Sean McManus described as an “aggressive” push with the Tour. With no spectators for the first five events, McManus said there’s “a little bit more of a willingness” among the players to be mic’d up. 

As many have noted, we should naturally get more sound with no crowd noise. Oh, and on the topic of possibly supplementing the sounds, Nantz shot that down as Dave Shedloski reported in his roundup of the call:

• While there will be no fans watching the action at Colonial, the network will eschew piping in any audio enhancements—another way of saying it will not add fake crowd noise or reactions. As Nantz said, appropriately, “The key word is ‘fake.’ As a fan … just take it for what it is, give me the real scene and let me deal with it.”

Here is the full press release, noteworthy in itself as a joint venture of CBS, Golf Channel and PGA Tour.

THE PGA TOUR RETURNS WITH THE CHARLES SCHWAB CHALLENGE ON THURSDAY, JUNE 11-SUNDAY, JUNE 14

WITH 59 HOURS OF LIVE COVERAGE ACROSS CBS, GOLF CHANNEL AND PGA TOUR LIVE 

The 2019-20 PGA TOUR season returns with the Charles Schwab Challenge, beginning on Thursday, June 11 and concluding with final-round coverage on Sunday, June 14, with 59 hours of live coverage across CBS, GOLF Channel and PGA TOUR LIVE.

With live coverage returning, the health and safety of all involved at CBS Sports, NBC Sports Group and PGA TOUR Entertainment is paramount. With that as the top priority, a plan was developed to resume production of live golf, implementing health screenings and safety protocols, utilizing more technology, minimizing travel and reducing the on-site footprint, maximizing social distancing, all while allowing for a best-in-class production.

CBS Sports and GOLF Channel will present a unified, linear broadcast production. The same production and announce team during Saturday and Sunday’s coverage on CBS also will work Thursday and Friday’s coverage on GOLF Channel –  allowing for fewer than half of the normal contingent on site for a typical PGA TOUR production. In addition to Fort Worth, there will be members of the team working remotely from GOLF Channel studios in Orlando, Los Angeles, New York, Stamford (Conn.) and New Zealand. 

Many of the production elements, including the scoring graphics, remote editing, video shading, multiple replay devices – including the new multichannel Hawkeye system – and editorial support, will come from these remote locations. 

In addition to reducing on-site personnel, the plan will be promoting greater social distancing by adding television mobile units to limit the number of people in each one and reconfiguring the trucks to provide more space and physical barriers.

Live television coverage of the Charles Schwab Challenge will begin Thursday at Noon ET on GOLF Channel with an extended live “look-in” to PGA TOUR LIVE featured group streaming coverage. Traditional television coverage will start on Thursday at 4:00 PM, ET on GOLF Channel and conclude on Sunday beginning at 3:00 PM, ET on CBS.

For all four days Jim Nantz will anchor coverage from the 18th Tower at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Nantz will be joined on site by on-course reportersDottie Pepper and Mark Immelman. Lead Analyst Nick Faldo, Ian Baker-Finch and Frank Nobilo will offer analysis remotely from Orlando and Amanda Balionis will contribute reports from her home. 

The CBS Sports production team will lead coverage utilizing 23 cameras including 10 hard cameras, six mini RF cameras, plus robotic cameras and more. The team will return with its industry-leading Production and Technology elements including:

  • Toptracer - Using 3D radar tracking to provide the viewer with a true sense of distance, height, curvature and more. Tracing live tee shots on various holes showing the apex, ball speed, distance and curve will once again be staples of this technology.

  • Toptracer RF - Toptracer will outfit two RF mini-cameras in order to provide ball tracking graphics and statistics on a player’s second shot from the fairway anywhere on the course.

  • ARL Virtual Eye - Virtual Eye uses Toptracer ball tracing capabilities on tee shots within a 3D Hole Model, while simultaneously showing the golfer hit shots from the tee. Virtual flyover animations also return, giving a second shot perspective once the ball comes to rest including GolfTrax information providing key statistical information for both individual players and holes. 

  • SwingVision - CBS’ Emmy Award-winning technical innovation, SwingVision, featuring super-slow action to break down players’ swings and demonstrate shots from various locations on the course to capture the dramatic high speed replays of various shots.

  • Live Aerial Coverage

Debuting during coverage will be:

  • ARL Virtual Signage – Augmented Reality technology will be utilized to virtually place statistics, player information and sponsorship partners on the course with full trackable camera moves so that the images appear to be actually on the course.

  • Hawkeye Replay Source – While Hawkeye has contributed to CBS golf coverage on digital platforms in the past, this event will feature for the first time this replay technology integrated into the linear broadcast, with an operator controlling every camera angle remotely from home and contributing with real time replays from action on the course.

CBS Sports' broadcast coverage also will be available to stream live on the CBS All Access subscription service.

GOLF Channel’s Thursday and Friday coverage also will stream live via GOLF Channel Digital. 

GOLF Channel will carry 10 scheduled hours of live tournament coverage Thursday through Sunday, which will be complemented by live pre and post-game analysis and commentary on Golf Central across all four days. Rich Lerner will host Golf Central coverage and be joined by analyst Brandel Chamblee, with Todd Lewis reporting from on-site at Colonial Country Club. Additionally, GOLF Channel will offer expanded opening round live coverage on Thursday, offering viewers an extended live “look-in” of feature group streaming coverage (Noon – 4:00 PM, ET) via PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold. 

PGA TOUR digital platforms will provide additional coverage to support the Charles Schwab Challenge. PGA TOUR LIVE, the TOUR’s Over-The-Top subscription service, will provide free access to the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge on Thursday, June 11, with a total of 43 hours of coverage during the week. Coverage on Thursday-Friday runs from 7:45 A.M.–7:00 PM, ET, and from 7:45 AM–6:00 PM, ET Saturday and Sunday, ET. New subscribers can sign up via NBC Sports Gold by visitingwww.pgatourlive.com.

Additionally, the TOUR and Twitter are unveiling “Twitter Multicast,” an innovative live content execution that has never been attempted on the social media platform. Twitter Multicast will take place on Thursday from approximately 1:00-2:30 PM (EST) and will showcase athletes, celebrities and other personalities creating their own live, audio/video commentary in conjunction with PGA TOUR LIVE Featured Groups. Finally, the TOUR will launch an all-new TOURCast (https://www.pgatour.com/tourcast.html#/) product that will allow fans to follow every shot from each group with a beautiful 3D rendering of the golf course and shot trails, available on the PGA TOUR’s mobile apps and website for every event on the PGA TOUR schedule through the FedExCup Playoffs.

THE CHARLES SCHWAB CHALLENGE TELEVISION AND DIGITAL SCHEDULE

Thursday, June 11                 

7:45 AM-7:00 PM, ET   PGA TOUR LIVE

Noon-4:00 P.M. ET        GOLF Channel (PGA TOUR Live)

4:00-7:00 PM, ET           GOLF Channel

Friday, June 12                      

7:45 AM-7:00 PM, ET   PGA TOUR LIVE

4:00-7:00 PM, ET           GOLF Channel

Saturday, June 13                  

7:45 AM-6:00 PM, ET   PGA TOUR LIVE

1:00-3:00 PM, ET           GOLF Channel

3:00-6:00 PM, ET           CBS

Sunday, June 14                     

7:45 AM-6:00 PM, ET   PGA TOUR LIVE

1:00-3:00 PM, ET           GOLF Channel

3:00-6:00 PM, ET           CBS