When the PGA Tour begins play in 2007, golf fans will notice a difference in the schedule and, most likely, the frequency in which they get the opportunity to see the game's biggest stars.
Fans who follow the Tour on television will also notice significant changes in where they watch their golf, thanks to a 6-year television deal announced by PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem.
Starting next year, CBS and NBC will show all weekend coverage of PGA Tour events with the Golf Channel becoming the exclusive early-round provider for golf as well as full, four-round coverage of up to 15 events. The Golf Channel signed on for 15 years as the Tour's exclusive cable partner.
Finchem, Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports, Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics and David Manougian, president of the Golf Channel, participated in a teleconference Wednesday afternoon during which details of the agreement were revealed.
"We couldn't be more pleased with the outcome of these discussions," Finchem said on the eve of the Tour's first full-field event of 2006, the Sony Open. "We've been able to streamline and solidify our television presence for the long term through this alignment with two very strong network partners and an exclusive cable provider."
While details of the 2007 schedule won't be announced until next week (according to Finchem), it is known the face of televised golf changed in a major way when ABC and its sister operation, ESPN, chose not put up the kind of cash Finchem was looking for.
That left Finchem's options somewhat limited, but he says that, in the end, that was a good thing.
"Our streamlined set of relationships give enormous value to sponsors and it's a big win for fans, too," Finchem said. "These television partners will provide the continuity and qualify of coverage that are very important to our fans."
Finchem continued the Tour's policy of not announcing monetary terms of the contract, but did say that benefits to players (in the form of purses and retirement plan contributions) over the next six years would increase about $100 million a year. Prize money, which has increased from $96.4 to $255 million over the last eight years, will continue to increase but not as steeply as previously.
"Continuing as the lead carrier of events was very important to us, because we believe that the season-long FedEx Cup competition will bring additional fans to the sport and add drama throughout the schedule," said McManus.
CBS has been the home of the Masters for years and has been able to provide coverage of the season's first major with only 4 minutes of commercials per hour.
NBC plans the same sort of coverage for the Players Championship, which Finchem confirmed would move from it's long-standing spot of mid-March to the second week of May.
"For a variety of reasons, this is a good deal for NBC," said Ebersol. "We went into this looking for a good, responsible, profitable deal for NBC and we think we got that. The upscale nature of the events we picked up is tremendous and we think the Players Championship in May makes that even a more prestigious event."
The Golf Channel likes to consider itself as the home of golf and it being the cable home of all tournament early-round coverage seems perfect.
"We see this partnership as a way to continue our dominant position as the best destination for golf on TV," said Manougian. "This is right on strategy for us and we can't wait for 2007 to get on with it."
Changing channels
What's in it for CBS, NBC and the Golf Channel in the new broadcast agreement with the PGA Tour:
CBS -- The network will expand its current coverage from 16 to 19 events. It will include the majority of West Coast events, including the Buick Invitational and the Nissan Open. CBS will maintain its strong presence in the spring and summer and will conclude its season with the Bridgestone Invitational, the PGA Championship and the first event of the four-event Championship Series.
NBC -- The network will add five new Tour events, doubling the amount it normally telecasts. Highlighting its new schedule will be the final three events of the Championship Series, the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship (which leads up to its five-event March run). It will also show the World Golf Championships-CA Championship to be played at Doral Golf Resort and Spa. NBC will also continue its coverage of the Ryder and Presidents Cup.
The Golf Channel -- It will provide early-round coverage of all Tour official money events. It will also provide full coverage of the first three events of the season: Mercedes Championship, Sony Open and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, as well as the Fall Series events that follow the Tour Championship.
