PGA CEO On Ryder Cup Re-Up: "When we start to talk about our strategic mission to serve our members...you don’t have to look further than the Golf Channel to understand that they really are that daily voice of golf"

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I've sobered up after the drinking game gone bad that was today's PGA of America/NBC conference call to announce a Ryder Cup rights extension to 2030.

Considering the USGA pre-empted this year's PGA Championship to rush their Fox Sports broadcast deal in a woefully unsuccessful attempt to generate a few more cents per FSN1 subscriber, I had budgeted for three shots in the "jabs at the USGA-Fox deal" Jello-shot game.

Before a question could even be asked, I was already sounding like Foster Brooks.

First off, was Ted Bishop, PGA President.

Through this partnership, viewers will enjoy a wave of new programming and special coverage that includes Ryder Cup preview shows, vignettes, features, reports and points updates on NBC and Golf Channel; a Ryder Cup documentary series on both networks; live practice round coverage for the first time ever, and the Ryder Cup Captain Selection Show on the Golf Channel.

Live practice round coverage! I'm still trying wrap my head around that, but I have a feeling it'll go something like this:

Lerner: "Let's bring our Golf Channel Insider Tim Rosaforte in here. Tim? What kind of match is that Mickelson, Bradley, Spieth and Mahan are playing?"

Rosaforte: "Lernie, I saw J-Spieth today at The Gleneagles Hotel gift shop buying his first razor and talked shop with him for about 30 minutes. He told me Philly Mick was in the mood for a little Let It Ride action, with 50 points for a bogey, ten for a par, 100 for a birdie and 500 for an eagle at a hundred bones a point. Butch Harmon just texted me that the Bradley-Mickelson pairing is up 250 points with three to go."

Lerner: "Tim, keep us posted on how that turns out, please. Brandel, did you shop for your first razor in a four-star hotel gift shop? Is that a good idea?"

And you know what's really sad? I'll watch every second of it.

Okay, back to the drinking game better known as, the teleconference subtly reminding you why the USGA Really Messed Up. The Bishop again:

Finally, from my standpoint, it became apparent to me on the night that we announced that Bethpage would host the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup, that this exciting extension was going to take place.

September the 17th was truly a great day for the PGA of America. It’s been hard to contain our excitement.

We had very productive conversations with Commissioner Finchem and certainly respected the President’s Cup last week, and that’s why we’re doing this announcement this week. So thanks to all involved.

Zing!

The deal was sealed three weeks ago, the ink's dry, but somehow everyone involved was able to sit on it until an opportune time to announce. So much for sound organizational practices and protecting the shareholders of publicly traded companies! Well, to the USGA, some of us are just clueless about this.

Pete Bevacqua, PGA CEO:

Finally, I’d like to echo Ted’s sentiments by congratulating our friends at NBC for their unwavering commitment to the PGA of America, to our PGA professionals and to the game of golf, and particularly to Mark Lazarus and to Jon Miller. I’ve known Jon for well over a decade, and on a personal and professional level I’m so excited to know that we’ll be working together for the foreseeable future.

On a non-zinger note, it was nice to see a TV guy like NBC's Mark Lazarus suggest that the venues matter:

Mark Lazarus:  Our philosophy with all sports that we televise is to tell stories, to make viewers feel a sense of caring about the participants and about the venues. Some of these wonderful historic venues that the Ryder Cup and the Senior PGA Championship will visit are really extraordinary in regards to that.

And the Golf Channel as a partner, as opposed to, oh, I don't know say Fox Sports 1, Bevacqua said without prompting:

Pete Bevacqua: And, Mark, if I can just add to this, what was such an attractive component of the continuation of this relationship for us is if you look at the Golf Channel as the broadcast voice of golf on a daily basis in America, and the PGA of America is really the tangible connection between the game, and quite frankly everybody who plays it in this country, what we can do together to promote the game and to attract new golfers into the game is really one of the most exciting components of this relationship.

Oh come on Pete, Fox Sports 1 has great potential to be on every golf course television in America. Just as soon as anyone can find it on the dial.

Regarding NBC's total lack of freshness and innovativeness, the PGA of America will tolerate Tommy Roy. The guy the USGA didn't think was cutting it before their partner tried to offer him a job.

Ted Bishop:  Well, I think that it would go beyond just one thing. It’s a combination of things, and it goes back to the great history that we’ve had, and the confidence that we have in our partner like NBC to deliver the quality of production and to create the storylines and the drama that have really seen the Ryder Cup emerge into arguably one of the greatest sporting events since we entered into this marriage with NBC back in 1991 at Kiawah.

When you look at NBC’s ability to produce golf telecasts, who knows whether Tommy Roy will be around in 2030, but he just does a phenomenal job. I think that the PGA of America cares greatly about the quality of the product and the production.

I don’t think that when it came to the Ryder Cup, there was anybody that we would feel more comfortable with in entering into a long-term agreement, based on what they’ve done in the past, what we expect in the future in terms of their innovation, and their ability to be always on the cutting edge of the production aspect of golf than NBC.

And about strengthening those ties to Golf Channel, something the USGA just couldn't put a dollar figure on, the PGA fully understood the importance of having them on board. Bevacqua, piling on:

When you start talking about some of the exciting programs that we have like Get Golf Ready, it’s one thing to talk about those during a golf telecast, but it’s another to be able to talk about those on a daily basis on the Golf Channel and across the spectrum of what NBC offers. So you can start talking to women on shows that women traditionally watch, and you can start talking to children on shows that children traditionally watch. You start to talk beyond the converted, and start to preach the message of golf and the benefits of golf beyond the converted. We think that is critical, and something that NBC can deliver like no one else in the industry.

Ted, would you like to pile on, I mean, add to that?

I think that the thing that is exciting about this deal is to look at the magnitude of what the potential is for that type of exposure for PGA members through the partnership that we’re going to have with the Golf Channel. I mean in some ways this is almost like having our own TV network, to a degree, and we’ll be able to promote and do things that we’ve never been able to do in the past. When you’re looking at tangible member benefits — and the PGA of America exists firsts and foremost for members — this really epitomizes something that is hugely important to our members.

I felt it was important to better understand the timing of the discussions and in the interest of the markets, to get to the bottom of sitting on this announcement so as to not take away from someone else's special week.

I was wondering if anybody can give us a little bit of an idea on when these discussions started. Also, I’m just wondering if there were any organizational practice issues related to sending on that announcement.

Pete Bevacqua:  I can tell you that I started having conversations about the future of the Ryder Cup certainly internally with Ted and his fellow officers and our staff almost from the moment I started in November of 2012, and soon thereafter began to have those conversations with Jon Miller, who I said I’ve known for well over a decade.

NBC and the Golf Channel are such an obvious partners for the Ryder Cup. As Ted alluded to, the job that they’ve done for decades – it’s one of those situations that you’re always lucky when it’s just an astonishingly easy decision. Add all of the additional content, and the celebration of the PGA Professional primarily through the Golf Channel, it’s really what just made an easy decision even easier.

In terms of sitting on the news — as Ted mentioned — we felt like we had a deal roughly in principle on the evening of the (Bethpage) announcement. It was just what worked best for the PGA of America, certainly what worked best for NBC, and quite frankly what worked best in the overall golf environment.

One quick follow-up –  what’s the status of the Friday coverage? Is that continuing on ESPN?

Mark Lazarus:  ESPN sub-licenses that currently from NBC. We have some contractual obligations for discussions with them. We will honor those commitments and that’s a story still to be told.

ESPN's current deal ends after the 2014 Ryder Cup. Could Golf Channel or NBC Sports Network be in line to pick up Friday coverage, perhaps with some NBC thrown in too?

And it was all about the money, except it wasn't.

Pete Bevacqua:  From PGA of America perspective, the Ryder Cup is one of the critical financial engines that helps the PGA of America, quite frankly, do everything we do for golf and for our members. So the financial elements of a financial broadcast deal are always super critical. But for us, every bit is important. And I think Mark’s thought was what we can do around the partnership with NBC and Golf Channel. When we start to talk about our strategic mission to serve our members and to grow the game, you don’t have to look further than the Golf Channel to understand that they really are that daily voice of golf in this country. The PGA of America needs to be tied into that voice in our opinion.

As for the seeming absurdity of tying the rights up until 2030 when Jordan Spieth will be 37...time for another shot! That's, a shot of hooch...

When you think about that, and what we can do with the NBC and the Golf Channel again on a consistent basis, it made this a pretty straight-forward process because we trust this partner. We have an unbelievable track record with them.

Knowing we can continue to work side-by-side with them through 2030 to continue to elevate the Ryder Cup, continue to elevate the PGA Senior Championship, and quite frankly the everyday role of the PGA of America – there’s just tremendous value in that, well beyond the dollars.

Well beyond the dollars. Precisely not the USGA's motto.

Bethpage Press Conference Set For Tuesday

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It looks like PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua has cleared space with the five family air traffic control and buttoned up the deal with Andrew Cuomo and we get a Bethpage-Black PGA/Ryder Cup for 2019/2024 announced this next week.

Mark Herrmann posted a tweet on new of the event.



I have a poll question for those who've been to Bethpage. As you may recall the finisher at the Black isn't very strong while the neighboring finisher on the Red is a beauty.

What hole would you rather see used as the finishing hole at Bethpage Black, 18 on the Black or 18 on the Red? (The 18th on Red is right next to the 18th on the Black and is a long, uphill par-4). Keep in mind historical context and the many dynamics involved with playing a different hole from a different course (mostly political). Would you do it?**

What hole would you like to see used as the finishing hole for a proposed Bethpage Black PGA Championship and Ryder Cup?
  
pollcode.com free polls 
 

**Poll should now be working.

PGA 99% Sure To Be Playing 2016 Championship In Late July

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Sounds like the schedule for 2016 working around the Rio Olympic Games is shaping up, as Bloomberg's Michael Buteau reports that the PGA of America is comfortable with moving the Baltusrol PGA to late July, before the Aug 5-21 games.

A schedule change could benefit the PGA Championship at the Springfield, New Jersey, course, which also hosted the 2005 PGA Championship, won by Phil Mickelson, Bevacqua said.

“It’s a better time to host a major championship,” he said. “More people are around and in the swing of things. Less people are on their summer vacations. We think it’s actually going to work out to our advantage.”

We also will know soon which city will be creating headaches for the IGF as the 2020 Olympic Games final bribes are due with announcement set for this week. Tokyo, Istanbul and Madrid are the pulse stunting finalists, with Madrid reportedly pullling away down the stretch.

USGA's Davis Defends Fox Sports Deal Announcement Timing

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USGA Executive Director Mike Davis was on Sirius XM's Fairways of Life with Matt Adams Tuesday to talk about a variety of subjects before Adams asked about the new Fox Sports television deal.

Davis had to open by mopping up the mess made by USGA President Glen Nager in the initial press release that essentially made the current broadcast partners sound like amateurs who were not capable of progressing any further.

Very exciting news, first and foremost, let me start out by saying, that they have been fabulous partners. We have been with ESPN for 33 years, and NBC Golf Channel for 20 years. And both of those organizations truly took our championships to a new level. They are just first class organizations and wonderful people to work with and you know, personally, there's a lot of friendships between the organizations and that's going to be tough. But we are very excited about Fox Sports. And for us, we just feel from a qualitative and quantitative standpoint this was a deal that was just too good to refuse. We're going to get a lot more promotion and hours for amateur championships which we really think is important for the game.

NBC proposed 70 more hours of the three championships an audience higher than a .1 might watch, but the USGA would rather get the Senior Women's Amateur or the Four-Ball on television?

Sorry to interrupt...

We'll get promotion of our Open championship.There's some exciting things from a digital media standpoint. But I think Matt, for the game of golf, to have it covered now by all of the major networks, that's good for the game. That's not necessarily a USGA thing, that's the game of golf. But listen, we ultimately we are making a good bit more money from this and we are a non-profit, and our money has to go back into the game of golf. And that's a little bit different maybe from a week-to-week tour event that has these wonderful charities and they give to a children's hospital or cancer.

Our monies must go back into the game. So I think that's exciting because we will have more funds that ultimately let's us do a better job governing, do a better job running our championships and, important for everyone, sustaining the game. Things like pace of play, junior golf, turfgrass research, working more closely with the state and regional golf associations, focusing on water, all these things that are important for all golfers, not just the professional game.

We're excited about Fox, they're excited. I know we have some challenges putting this all together over the next couple of years but they're exciting challenges. Ultimately I think it's going to be good for the USGA and good for the game.

Adams asked if there was fallout "from the timing of the announcement" on the eve of the PGA Championship.

Matt, good question. Because, listen, I know there's been a lot said and written about this. I can tell you the timing was anything but intentional. And we were unfortunately really backed into a corner. The way our agreements work with both ESPN and NBC is that there was an exclusive negotiating period. Which in this case it was written ten years ago, and was from June 1 to August 1, and we didn't feel like we quite got there with the offers on the table so we went to the open market and ultimately Fox came in, ESPN and NBC were still part of the process, we looked at the three bids and our Board of Directors decided we were going to Fox. We notified the winner and the two that didn't get it and Matt, you know, it's one of those things where these three organizations are publicly traded companies and our legal council advised and outside legal council advised we couldn't sit on that information for five or six days because dozens of people knew about it.

Imagine what the markets might have done had the news got out? Stock prices would have not moved a cent. $100 million a year to News Corp is Roger Ailes 'salary and the companywide paper clip budget. Go on...

So we contacted the PGA of America ahead of time and said listen, this is anything but we want to do is announce on the eve of your championship, but we must do that. Looking back on it, if there is anything we could have done, we would have done Matt. The last thing we wanted to do was affect the PGA. And after all, that's an organization, the PGA of America, that really in so many ways is the backbone of the game. They do so many great things on a local and national basis. That's an organization we worked with for decades and we will work with [for] decades. And you know, yes, there was this public disagreement on anchoring. That we really kind of agreed to disagree, but the relationship we have is great.

When I think great relationships, I think USGA-PGA.

So It's unfortunate that some out there were kind of cynical about that we purposely did that. That's anything but the truth. And certainly not based on any facts. It's unfortunate. Hopefully it didn't affect the PGA Championship. So, that's a little background that maybe will shed a little light on what happened.

Call me cynical, but I'm skeptical about the pre-emptive call Davis is suggesting was made. PGA of America President Ted Bishop addressed the shock and tackiness of the announcement in a recent interview, and certainly does not sound like someone who had any idea this was coming. And when I contacted PGA of America officials on Wednesday night of the PGA, hours after the deal was announced, these did not seem like people who knew this was coming. A statement was most certainly not prepared in advance but they did call a very nice audible.

It was also the second time in five years the USGA made news during a PGA.

**The PGA of America warning courtesy call was a matter of minutes before the announcement, definitely not hours or days, a source confirms.

"The USGA’s slow play on both venues has prompted the PGA of America to be a bit more proactive."

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Rex Hoggard as a solid wrap-up of the week's various stories--Bethpage, PGA Tour taking over the European Tour and of course, the big one, the elimination of caddie races.

I'll let you take in his analysis of the others, but there was this note on the "baffling" decision by the USGA to abandon Bethpage and Torrey Pines.

The 2008 Open at Torrey Pines may arguably be this generation’s best major, and Bethpage, although soaked for both Opens it hosted, is a perfect combination of qualify golf and prime location.

The USGA’s slow play on both venues has prompted the PGA of America to be a bit more proactive. Golfweek magazine reported this week that the PGA plans to name Bethpage the venue for the 2024 Ryder Cup and 2019 PGA Championship; and sources have told Cut Line that the association is vying to bring the year’s fourth major to Torrey Pines.

While the PGA deserves credit for outside-the-box thinking, may we suggest they hold off on any official announcement until, say ... next year’s U.S. Open. You know, for maximum coverage and all.

My sources say the USGA is interested in Torrey again and that the San Diego people have demanded a Ryder Cup with any PGA they take, something that is hard to see happening because Europeans would have to watch afternoon matches in the middle of the night.

Or maybe any move to Torrey is stalled because of the San Diego mayoral situation.

After watching the morning coverage of the Solheim Cup, I'm wondering when the PGA of America jumps on Colorado Golf Club for a PGA. Wow does it look great this time of year and the crowds seem huge.

PGA Prez: Bethpage News Not Leaked By Us

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Because the NCAA's Summer Match Play is going on this week...err the U.S. Amateur, PGA President Ted Bishop was asked by Matt Adams on PGA Tour Radio if this was a PGA of America return punch. Though it's hard to disrupt an event that so few are paying attention to.

On Matt Adams' Fairways of Life Tuesday, PGA of America President Ted Bishop was asked if the finalization of the long-rumored Bethpage PGA/Ryder Cup was meant as a shot back at the USGA. Since the PGA hasn't finalized the deal with no press conference is set, Bishop was fired up.

 “the PGA of America would not make any kind of a major announcement that would upstage any of one of our major championship partners or the PGA Tour, it’s not the right way to do things. ”

He also said...

“I am insulted that anyone would think that.” (on whether they leaked Bethpage info)…

You can listen to the full interview here. Bishop starts at the 38:40 mark.

All Set: Bethpage Black For '19 PGA, '24 Ryder Cup

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Golfweek Staff reports that the PGA and State of New York are putting the finishing touches on a package delivering the 2019 PGA to Bethpage and the 2024 Ryder Cup to the Black Course. Golfweek Staff says the announcement is set for August 13th, but my sources say the negotiations are not complete and an announcement is a ways off.

As reported by Sam Weinman two years ago, this process started under PGA CEO Joe Steranka and has been finalized by new CEO Pete Bevacqua, who worked at the USGA during the 2009 U.S. Open there. A native New Yorker, Bevacqua negotiated with then Attorney General Andrew Cuomo on an amicable settlement for U.S. Open ticket refunds after rain inundated the event.

Last week, Bevacqua praised the now-Governor for his help with the PGA at Oak Hill.

Just to echo Ted's thoughts, Rochester is such a golf savvy town and we have received such unbelievable support, it's really been incredible to see these first three days. Also, I think it's absolutely worth noting that the reception we've had from the State of New York and Governor Cuomo's office, almost unprecedented support. I think bringing a major championship into any part of the country is a big endeavor and it's big business for this region, and I want to thank the governor's office in the State of New York.

This does not get a future PGA out to the west coast, something Bevacqua stated last week was a top priority. However, because you all watched the Grey Goose 19th Hole last week where John Feinstein, David Fay and myself discussed this news, the Ryder Cup at The Black will be most electric venue the event has ever seen. And the awkward routing of the Black actually works beautifully in a Ryder Cup format.

I have just two requests for the PGA of America: integrate the event more closely with New York City any way you can. And please, please use the 18th hole on the Red Course for the finishing hole. Please!

AP: "It was the second time in five years that the USGA made a major announcement during the PGA"

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Granted, the last time was at least rules related but this is the second time, first time though for the modern USGA that has prided itself in disciplined messaging.

(click to enlarge)From Doug Ferguson's expanded AP story on the USGA-Fox partnership:

The timing was peculiar. It was the second time in five years that the USGA made a major announcement during the PGA Championship — it announced a change in the size and shape of grooves in golf clubs at the 2008 PGA Championship.

The PGA of America was the most outspoken against the USGA's ban on anchored strokes.

"Given the very nature of major media and broadcast deals, they have a way of taking on a life of their own," Goode said in an email. "Rest assured, it was not our intent and it is not our style to disrupt a partner's event."

A life of their own? Rest assure not your intent? Joseph, sure you have better than that?

PGA Statement On Tackily-Timed USGA TV Announcement

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A statement from the PGA of America at the request of this website on the stunningly disrespectful and classless move by the USGA to announce their new television contract on the eve of the PGA Championship:

"On a night when we honored Lee Trevino with our PGA Distinguished Service Award and on the eve of the PGA Championship, we would hope that the attention of the entire golf world would be on the season's final major."

So not only does the USGA trip up, the PGA of America scores more points for taking the higher ground. And gets in a plug for Trevino's Distinguished Service Award!