PGA Championship Television Woes, TNT And UK Streaming Edition

2018 brings with it the same PGA Championship broadcast window woes of the past. 

While CBS has upped their technology game this year, the ironclad PGA contract with CBS and TNT has not been touched since 2009. Today's low early scoring and even a brief 59 watch only adds to the equation.

As John Strege wrote yesterday for GolfDigest.com when none of Rickie Fowler's opening 65 could be seen, TNT was airing episodes of Charmed and Supernatural. And there was this:

In the nearly 30 years that Turner Sports has been telecasting the first two rounds of the PGA Championship, it has always employed the same six-hour window. (Incidentally, its current broadcast rights contract with the PGA of America, negotiated in 2009, runs through 2019.)

One more year and then the PGA of America can give us something else almost assuredly better for the opening rounds and lead-in coverage. 

But if American fans think they have it bad, check out James Gray's Express story on the inauspicious start for the IMG-negotiated, streaming-only PGA broadcast in the UK by the upstart Eleven Sports.

However, the broadcaster announced its more ambitious intentions for 2018 when it secured deals to show La Liga, Serie A, the Eredivise and the Chinese Super League in the UK - as well as the PGA Championship.

Coverage of golf’s fourth major came in for criticism last year after BBC picked up where Sky Sports had dropped it, only to produce a half-hearted effort at producing a replacement.

2018 Women's British Open Ratings: Peaks At 1.18 Million Viewers

Great to see so many people enjoying the final 2018 links season tournament despite no Americans in contention and two little-known leaders in Georgia Hall and Pornanong Phatlum.

For Immediate Release:

NBC SPORTS’ WEEKEND COVERAGE OF THE RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
BECOME THE MOST-WATCHED WOMEN’S GOLF TELECASTS ON ANY NETWORK IN 2018

Sunday’s Final Round: Most-Watched Final Round Women’s Golf Telecast in ‘18; 2nd Most-Watched Ricoh Women’s British Open Final Round Since 2009

Saturday’s Third Round: Most-Watched Saturday Women’s Golf Telecast in ’18; 2nd Most-Watched Third Round at This Event in 10 Years 

2.2 Million Live Minutes Streamed; Most-Streamed Women’s Golf Event Ever Across NBC Sports

NBC Sports’ Combined Coverage of the Three R&A Events – The Open, Senior Open and Ricoh Women’s British Open – Most-Watched Since 2009 

ORLANDO, Fla., (Aug. 10, 2018) – Sunday’s final round of the Ricoh Women’s British Open on NBC delivered 964,000 average viewers (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. ET; P2+), which saw Georgia Hall become the first Englishwoman since Karen Stupples in 2004 to win the Ricoh Women’s British Open with a two-shot victory over Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum. This makes The 2018 Ricoh Women’s British Open final round the most-watched women’s golf telecast on any network in 2018 and most-watched final-round telecast since last year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open final round, also on NBC (1.1 million average viewers). Sunday’s final round also becomes the 2nd most-watched final round at this event since 2009 on ABC.

Saturday’s viewership on NBC also becomes the most-watched women’s golf Saturday telecast on any network in 2018 with 740,000 average viewers. Saturday’s coverage also becomes the 2nd most-watched third round at this event in 10 years, since 2008 on ABC.

NBC Sports’ combined weekend coverage (.63 U.S. Household Rating, 842,000 average viewers) becomes the 2nd most-watched weekend at this event in nine years, since 2009 on ABC and behind only last year’s coverage on NBC.

ADDITIONAL NBC SPORTS VIEWERSHIP AND DIGITAL HIGHLIGHTS:

• NBC Sports’ final round linear coverage peaked at a .85 U.S. Household Rating, and 1.18 million average viewers (1:45-2 p.m. ET).

• Digital: Across four days of coverage, 2.2 million total minutes were streamed (+10% vs. 2017); making 2018 the most-streamed women’s golf event ever across NBC Sports’ platforms.

Celebrating The Quiet Difficulty Of Bellerive's 10th

It was the toughest hole last time here and the third toughest during round one despite only one double bogey. 

I spent some time there and was enjoyed its subtle features and likely blueprint for how Bellerive might go in the future should they choose to de-Rees the course.  I also got some keen insights from the great fans here.

Hope you enjoy this at Golfweek.com.

In The Annals Of Auditions, The Finau Effort Was Not Good

As I noted yesterday for Golfweek, Jim Furyk was well aware of the intriguing first-round grouping at Bellerive pairing him with two strong Ryder Cup hopefuls: Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele. Furyk even detailed an identical tryout scenario he experience in 2016. 

The latter recovered nicely from a poor start to post 70 while Finau strggled to a 74 that included a shank. Meanwhile geezer Captain Furyk glided around in a smooth 69.

Brentley Romine on Furyk's play and confidence in his game. 

“He’s a really easygoing guy,” Schauffele said of Furyk. “He’s not putting any pressure on us.”

Major heat put plenty of pressure on Schauffele early. It was a rough start for the San Diego State product as he bogeyed three of his first six holes. However, he made birdie putts of 10 feet, 5 feet, 24 feet and 3 feet on the front side to battle back to even par.

Furyk liked what he saw, especially out of Schauffele.

“He seemed pretty unflappable, seemed like a guy that doesn’t let much bother him, let’s it roll off his back and goes to the next hole,” Furyk said.

WSJ On The Year Of The Golf (Equipment) Free Agency

This is a nice big picture consideration by Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal following up on post-Nike trend of players playing mixed bags either by force due to the Swoosh's equipment business demise, or going that route as club companies devote more resources to stars. (Thanks reader John). 

My ShackHouse colleague Joe House has noted on the show how the first three major winners this year are playing a mixture of clubs in looking for a wagering angle headed here to Bellerive, something Costa looks into and considers whether it's a trend. With purses rising and checks from companies flatlining or shrinking, the answer appears to be yes.

The math has also changed. Purse money continues to hit record highs each year, extending a boom that dates to the debut of Tiger Woods and survived his absence in recent years. At the same time, the market for equipment deals has cooled.

Agents and officials from the manufacturers say that a handful of star players—think Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson —still earn several million dollars annually on such deals. But the offers for most other players have dropped substantially. A midlevel Tour player who made $500,000 a decade ago might make $250,000 now.

Anywhere But Palm Beach Gardens: PGA Headquarters Move Could Go Many Directions

Outgoing PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua commented on the PGA of America's possible move to Frisco, Texas and opened the door to a move there, a bigger and more modern facility in Florida or other possible locations in the United States.

The comments leave the PGA staff less certain than ever, something Bevacqua empathized with in his remarks. From my Golfweek.com item:

“It’s difficult on the staff to be in this period of limbo where we don’t know exactly where we’ll be,” he said. “Are we going to stay put? Are we going to move to Frisco? Could we move somewhere else? So I know the goal is to resolve that and come to a conclusion as soon as possible, but we’re just not there yet, unfortunately, because we would like to have made that decision.”

Conde Nast Expects To Have Golf Digest Sold By Year's End

CEO Bob Sauerberg

The WSJ's Jeffrey Trachtenberg offers an update on Conde Nast's plans to have "signed agreements" to sell Golf Digest by year's end.

There was also this:

It’s possible that Condé could retain an interest in the golf business, depending on its future owner.

R.I.P. Jarrod Lyle

One of the most heroic souls to have played the game at a high level, Jarrod Lyle has passed away after battling cancer.

From a remembrance by Mark Hayes at Golf Australia:

The following is a statement from Briony Lyle, who asks that the family’s privacy remains respected at this most solemn of times.

“It breaks my heart to tell everyone that Jarrod is no longer with us.

“He passed away peacefully at 8.20pm last night having spent his final week in Torquay among his family and close friends.

“Lusi, Jemma and I are filled with grief and now must confront our lives without the greatest husband and father we could ever have wished for.

“At the same time, we have been blessed and overwhelmed with the messages and actions of support from around the world and feel comforted that Jarrod was able to happily impact so many people throughout his life. Our humble thanks to you all."

Hackers Lock PGA Of America Out Of Servers, Leaderboards Unaffected But About Some Of Those Documents...

Forgive PGA of America officials for a little less joviality even as the St. Louis fans wholeheartedly support this week's PGA Championship: their servers have been hacked. And someone wants them to pay up in Bitcoin or else...

Eamon Lynch with the Golfweek exclusive explaining what could be an issue on many levels for the organization during their busy week.

Staff realized Tuesday morning that their systems had been compromised when attempts to work on the files generated an ominous message: “Your network has been penetrated. All files on each host in the network have been encrypted with a strong algorythm [sic].”

What kind of hacker doesn't know how to spell the lifeblood of their existence? But they do trade in untraceable currency which the PGA will not acknowledge.

The message also included a Bitcoin wallet number, but no specific ransom amount was demanded for the return of the files. Bitcoin wallets are not linked to a particular person or entity and cannot be used to identify suspects.

Say hackers, what logos have you seen for the 2024 and 2025 PGA's? 

Justin Thomas' PGA Champions Dinner Menu Revealed! Now, About Those Wine Choices...

Nice turnout for the Champions dinner at the 100th PGA Championship. Not sure they dug too deep into any wine cellars for those selections...

@justinthomas34’s Champions Dinner menu definitely won’t disappoint. 🤤

A post shared by PGA Championship (@pgachampionship) on Aug 7, 2018 at 4:36pm PDT

Bryson Wins The Long Drive With Flair

Since the PGA Championship brought back the Long Drive Competition to liven up Tuesday and give the paying fans a little something extra to enjoy, some players have been reticent to give it their all in fear of injury or altering their mechanics. Not Bryson DeChambeau! Well done effort here to edge Peter Uihlein and Tony Finau. 

@brysondechambeau sends it 331 yards and leads the Long Drive Competition so far! #ThatWasEasy #PGAChamp

A post shared by PGA Championship (@pgachampionship) on Aug 7, 2018 at 1:53pm PDT

Live From Discussion: Green Reading Books

Good stuff from Live From The PGA last night on green reading books, with players interviewed all saying they'll be better off without the cheat sheets and the Aimpoint founder even suggesting many players are mis-using the books. 

The discussion after those two pieces was also enlightening. 

Players In Shorts Not Growing The Game Or The Prestige Of Golf's Fourth Major

Many wonder if the PGA Championship is moving ahead of the U.S. Open in the prestige department. 

I'm pretty sure this look--extending to coaches, agents and other team moochers--brands a special member-guest casualness and classlessness that no move to May or Frisco can shake. But if we really want to grow the game,  I say let the boys wear what they put on their best dinner attire these days: gym shirts and shorts, and definitely hats on backwards! 

👀found some fans of the "shorts allowed on practice days" rule.

A post shared by PGA Championship (@pgachampionship) on Aug 7, 2018 at 3:16pm PDT

ShackHouse 74: PGA Championship Preview From Bellerive

House and I convene to discuss Bellerive, the final major of 2018 and try to decipher who the course will favor. 

As always, your iTunes or other podcast host site subscriptions are appreciated. Or you can listen here below. 

Green Reading Bibliophiles Trying To Make Their Case

Caddie John Wood pens a guest piece for Golf.com on the announced green book ban and states his case for defending for the pricey books employed increasingly throughout competitive golf. 

While I don't agree with his case, this was an enjoyable jab at the governing bodies, who probably do not entirely disagree:

Because it feels like there’s an elephant on the tee box that no one’s addressing — looking at you, 350-yard drives — and you guys are waving your hands and jumping up and down saying: “Look over here, look over here! Here’s the problem! Look at how easy putting has become!” Sorry, but if we get a calm day at St. Andrews in a couple of years and someone shoots 59 on the Old Course, it’s not gonna be because of a series of little arrows in a book.

His primary argument is that reading the books is a skill. It's also a financial burden for some players.

Deciphering the green maps takes work and diligence, in a short amount of time; it’s not as simple as mindlessly plugging numbers from the hole-location sheet into a graph. Used incorrectly, these books can twist you into knots; I guarantee you that as many putts are missed by misreading greens books as are made by reading them correctly. Misplace the hole location or the location of your ball by a foot, and you’re going to miss, plain and simple.

He goes on to make a strong case for enforcement issues, which indirectly makes a case for just banning them altogether for easier enforcement. 

Meanwhile, the folks who make money selling the books are understandably trying to lobby the USGA and R&A in the comment period. Jim Stracka of Strackalines has sent an email plea out to customers with suggested talking points:

I'm not sure those points are going to have much influence.