Golf Channel

Golf Channel (also verbally referred to as simply Golf) is an American sports television network owned by the NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. The channel focuses on coverage of the sport of golf, including live coverage of tournaments, as well as factual and instructional programming. Via the Golf Channel unit, Comcast also owns other golf-related businesses, including the course reservation service GolfNow, online golf instruction provider Revolution Golf, and the World Long Drive Championship

Golf Channel
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaUnited States
Canada
HeadquartersStamford, Connecticut
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerNBCUniversal
Sister channelsNBC
NBCSN
NBC Sports Regional Networks
Universo
CNBC
Olympic Channel
History
LaunchedJanuary 17, 1995 (1995-01-17)
Former namesThe Golf Channel
(1995–2007)[1]
Links
Websitewww.golfchannel.com
Availability
Cable
Available on most North American cable systemsChannel slots vary on each operator
Satellite
DirecTVChannel 218
Dish NetworkChannel 401
Shaw Direct (Canada)Channel 409 (SD)
Channel 266 (HD)
IPTV
AT&T U-verseChannel 641 (SD)
Channel 1641 (HD)
Verizon FiOSChannel 93 (SD)
Channel 593 (HD)
Bell Fibe TV (Canada)Channel 416 (SD)
Channel 1415 (HD)
TELUS TV (Canada)Channel 116 (SD)
Channel 668 (HD)
Channel 656 (3D)
VMedia (Canada)Channel 76 (HD)
Streaming media
Sling TV, AT&T TV Now, YouTube TV, Fubo TV, Hulu with Live TV

Founded in Birmingham, Alabama,[2] the channel's headquarters and studios are currently located in Orlando, Florida (pending a re-location to Stamford, Connecticut alongside the remainder of NBC Sports[3][4][5]). Golf Channel is available in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Southeast Asia through subscription television providers.

As of September 2018, Golf Channel is available to approximately 70.3 million pay television households (76.2% of households with cable) in the United States.[6]

History

The idea of a 24-hour golf network came from media entrepreneur Joseph E. Gibbs of Birmingham, Alabama,[7] who first thought of such a concept in 1991.[8] Gibbs felt there was enough interest in golf among the public to support such a network, and commissioned a Gallup Poll to see if his instincts were correct. With the support of the polling behind him, Gibbs and legendary golfer Arnold Palmer then secured $80 million in financing from several cable television providers (including Adelphia Communications Corporation, Cablevision Industries, Comcast, Continental Cablevision, Newhouse, and the Times Mirror Company) to launch the network, which was among the first subscription networks developed to cover one singular sport.

Announced in February 1993,[9][10][11] the launch date was targeted for May 1994;[2] and it was launched on January 17, 1995, with a ceremonial flip of the switch by co-founder Arnold Palmer.[12][13][14] The first live tournament the channel televised was the Dubai Desert Classic, held January 19–22. Originally a premium channel with limited subscribers,[15] it retooled in September 1995 to be part of basic-tier pay TV to reach more viewers and ratings rapidly increased.[16] In 1996, Fox Cable Networks acquired a minority stake in the channel for $50 million.[17][18]

From 1999 to 2001, Golf Channel would hold part of the PGA Tour's cable rights for early-round coverage. To boost their availability, Golf Channel reached an agreement with Fox Sports Networks (FSN) air simulcasts of the coverage. In 2002, Golf Channel lost its rights to the main PGA Tour, but gained rights to the developmental Buy.com Tour.[19][20][21]

Acquisition by Comcast

In 2001, Fox sold its 30.9% stake in Golf Channel, as well as its stake in Outdoor Life Network, to minority owner Comcast, as part of a larger transaction by Fox to acquire Comcast's stake in Speedvision.[17][18] In December 2003, Comcast acquired the remaining 8.6% stake of Golf Channel it did not already own from the Tribune Company, giving it full ownership.[22][23]

In January 2007, Golf Channel became the exclusive cable broadcaster of the PGA Tour as part of a new 15-year contract, replacing ESPN and USA Network. The contract included early-round coverage of all official money events, and 13 events per-season carried exclusively by the network. By then, Golf Channel had carriage in 75 million homes.[22]

Concurrently, Comcast also launched Versus/Golf HD, a 1080i high definition channel featuring programming from Golf Channel and sister network Versus. Golf Channel programming was broadcast during the daytime hours, and Versus programming was broadcast during the evening and primetime hours. This arrangement ended in December 2008, when both networks launched their own 24-hour high-definition simulcasts.[24]

In March 2008, Comcast acquired the online golf reservation platform GolfNow. It was re-located to Golf Channel's headquarters in Orlando.[25][26]

Merger with NBC Sports

In January 2011, Comcast acquired a 51% majority stake in NBC Universal from General Electric. As a result of the re-alignment of Comcast's existing properties into NBC Universal, Golf Channel and sister sports network Versus were subsumed by a restructured NBC Sports division. On-air synergies between NBC's existing production unit began to take effect in February 2011 at the WGC Match Play Championship, when NBC's golf telecasts took on the Golf Channel branding as "Golf Channel on NBC", in a similar manner to ESPN's co-branding of sports output on ABC. NBC Sports personalities could now appear on Golf Channel, and former NBC Sports senior vice president Mike McCarley took over as the network's new head. The network also adopted an amended logo featuring the NBC peacock.[27]

In December 2013, Golf Channel unveiled a new logo, implemented in May 2014 to coincide with the 2014 Players Championship. The new logo replaces the "swinging G" emblem that had been used since the network's launch with a wordmark alongside the NBC peacock. The new logo was meant to provide a unified brand across Golf Channel's associated properties and services.[28]

On June 8, 2015, it was announced that NBC Sports had acquired rights to The Open Championship beginning in 2017 under a 12-year deal;[29] after former broadcaster ESPN opted out of the final year of rights, NBC began coverage in 2016 instead.[30] Early round coverage is aired by Golf Channel, which marked the first time ever that Golf Channel had ever broadcast one of the four Men's major golf championships.[29] On May 3, 2016, NBC announced that Golf Channel would air the bulk of the men's and women's golf tournaments for the 2016 Summer Olympics, covering up to 300 hours of the tourney, with 130 of those hours live.[31]

In 2016, Golf Channel acquired the World Long Drivers Association, organizer of the World Long Drive Championships; coverage of its events were subsequently added to the network.[32] In 2017, Golf Channel acquired Revolution Golf, an online provider of golf instructional materials.[33]

Before the final round of the 2018 Sony Open in Hawaii tournament, Golf Channel production staged a walkout.[34]

In February 2019, Golf Channel announced a new subscription service known as GolfPass. The service will feature a variety of content, including a streaming library of archive content, instructional content, as well as special offers (such as credit for free round of golf per-year, and a premium tier offering additional discounts). Rory McIlroy will also be involved in the service, hosting new instructional content for GolfPass, as well as an autobiographical web series.[35][36]

In February 2020, it was reported that Golf Channel would consolidate its television operations with the remainder of NBC Sports at its facilities in Stamford, Connecticut, in a move expected to occur over the next 12 to 18 months.[37] The GolfNow and GolfPass services will continue to primarily operate from Orlando. With the move to Stamford, Golf Channel also ended its long-time morning show Morning Drive, replacing it with the new midday show Golf Today from Stamford beginning January 4, 2021.[38][39]

Programming

Event coverage

Golf Channel is the pay television rightsholder of the PGA Tour, broadcasting live coverage of early rounds, and early window coverage of weekend rounds prior to network television coverage. Some events (particularly, early-season events such as the former Fall Series, and alternate events held against majors) are broadcast in their entirety by Golf Channel. Golf Channel also broadcasts primetime encores of the day's coverage, including network television broadcasts from NBC or CBS where applicable. Golf Channel also broadcasts coverage of PGA Tour Champions and Korn Ferry Tour events. Outside of events organized by the PGA Tour, Golf Channel also carries coverage of the European Tour, LPGA Tour, and Asian Tour.

Golf Channel is the cable broadcaster of two of the men's majors, including the U.S. Open and other USGA championships (since June 2020) and the Open Championship. Since 2016, it participates in NBCUniversal's coverage of the Summer Olympics by covering its golf competitions. It has also carried coverage of the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup alongside NBC, and the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's golf championships

Since its integration with NBC Sports, Golf Channel has been occasionally used as an overflow channel for non-golf programming, including two games of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs (due to programming conflicts with USA Network and CNBC), and a Premier League soccer match as part of NBC's Championship Sunday.[40][41]

News and analysis

Factual and reality
  • Feherty
  • Golf's Greatest Rounds
  • Shotmakers

Instructional
  • Golf Channel Academy
  • PGA Tour Champions Learning Center
  • Playing Lessons
  • School Of Golf
  • The Golf Fix

Notable personalities

The Golf Channel uses a number of people for tournament, news and instructional programming.[42]

Hosts and reporters

Analysts

Notable former personalities

Viewership

For the month of October 2013, Golf Channel averaged a daily viewership of 84,000.[47]

International version

Golf Channel UK

A British version of the channel called Golf Channel UK was operated by sporting goods retailer JJB Sports, and was available on the BSkyB satellite service. It broadcast many of the programs seen on the U.S. channel, but was unable to attract a viable audience as it offered few live golf tournaments; the channel shut down on December 31, 2007.

Since the acquisition of Sky plc by Comcast in late-2018, NBC Sports properties have begun to increase their collaboration with Sky Sports for expanded coverage of relevant events; Golf Channel and Sky Sports Golf trialed on-air talent sharing and co-productions at the 2019 Players Championship.[48]

Golf Channel Latin America

The Latin American version of the Golf Channel was launched in 2006 as a DirecTV joint venture, and was acquired from DirecTV by former DirecTV executives Jason Markham and Evan Grayer together with Inversiones Bahia in 2018.[49] The channel broadcasts professional tournaments from the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, European Tour and LPGA Tour with Spanish-speaking journalists, as well as Golf Central and other English-language shows.[50] In 2019, Discovery bought the channel.[51]

References
  1. Awtrey, Stan (January 10, 2007). "Tour tees up era on Golf Channel". Times-News. Hendersonville, NC. Cox News Service. p. 5E.
  2. "Cable golf channel on par with times". Victoria Advocate. Victoria, TX. June 29, 1993. p. 2B.
  3. Bilbao, Richard (June 29, 2020). "Golf Channel HQ move to eliminate hundreds of jobs". Orlando Business Journal. Advance Publications. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  4. Lusk, Jason; Schupak, Adam (June 22, 2020). "Golf Channel announces major layoffs coming to Orlando-based staff". Golfweek. Gannett. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  5. Marksbury, Jessica (February 29, 2020). "Golf Channel leaving its longtime Orlando headquarters: 'This was not a shocker'". Golf Magazine. Howard Milstein. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  6. Bucholtz, Andrew (September 10, 2018). "Nielsen coverage estimates for September see gains at ESPN networks, NBCSN, and NBA TV, drops at MLBN and NFLN". Awful Announcing. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  7. Newberry, Paul (June 28, 1993). "Birmingham man plans 24-hour golf channel". Gadsden Times. Gadsden, AL. Associated Press. p. B1.
  8. "Golf Channel co-founder resigns". Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, FL. Associated Press. October 17, 2001. p. 7D.
  9. Estes, Cary (June 13, 1993). "Can Golf Channel really work?". Sunday Telegraph. Nashua, NH. Scripps Howard News Service. p. C7.
  10. "Palmer to start golf channel". The Telegraph. Nashua, NH. Associated Press. February 11, 1993. p. 13.
  11. Winfrey, Lee (May 13, 1993). "Around-the-clock golf coming to cable soon". The News. Boca Raton, FL. Knight-Ridder Newspapers. p. 3C.
  12. "Palmer introduces all-golf network". Gainesville Sun. January 18, 1995. p. 3C.
  13. "The Golf Channel hits the air". Eugene Register-Guard. wire services. January 27, 1995. p. 2F.
  14. Winfrey, Lee. "Golf Channel tees off Tuesday, joining History Channel as new cable fare", Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, January 16, 1995. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from HighBeam Research.
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  16. Sirak, Ron (February 29, 1996). "The Golf Channel might be here to stay". Daily Courier. Prescott, AZ. Associated Press. p. 10A.
  17. Dempsey, John (May 23, 2001). "Fox Cable, Comcast race for channels". Variety. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  18. Farrell, Mike. "Golf, Outdoor Stakes Sold In Fox's Speedvision Race". Multichannel. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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  20. Ferguson, Doug (August 12, 2000). "The Golf Channel becomes Tiger TV". The Register Citizen. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  21. Barron, David (July 16, 2001). "PGA Tour signs lucrative TV rights deals". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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  23. "Company News; Comcast Buys Tribune's Stake in Golf Channel". Bloomberg News. December 12, 2003. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  24. Moss, Linda. "Comcast To Launch Three HD Nets, Including E!". Multichannel News. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  25. Peter Kafka (March 3, 2008). "Comcast Buying GolfNow.com". Business Insider. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  26. "Golf Channel Invests $1.9 Million To Expand Its Orlando, Florida, Headquarters". Area Development. July 31, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  27. Renyolds, Mike. "McCarley To Head Golf Channel, Davis Out At Versus In NBC Sports Group Reorg: Sources". Multichannel News. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
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  30. Ourand, John (October 12, 2015). "NBC getting British Open a year early". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  31. Baker, Liana (May 3, 2016). "Golf Channel unveils Olympics plans; NBC says 'no shows' to have regrets". Reuters. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
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  40. "How to watch all of Premier League's season finales". SI.com. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
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