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LPGA TOUR RETURNS TO GOLF CHANNEL THIS WEEK WITH NEW ‘LPGA DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP’

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First of 18 Events on GOLF Channel in Resumption of 2020 LPGA Tour Season

NBC Sports Group to Televise All Four Women’s Golf Major Championships in 2020

ORLANDO, Fla., July 29, 2020 – Following a hiatus of more than five months due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the LPGA Tour returns to competition this week with the inaugural ‘LPGA Drive On Championship’ taking place at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

The LPGA Drive On Championship will be the first of 18 scheduled LPGA Tour events televised on GOLF Channel through the end of the year, including four major championships. Nearly 20 live hours of women’s professional golf also will be televised on NBC across four events – three majors and the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

NEW ‘LPGA DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP’ KICKS OFF RESUMPTION OF 2020 LPGA SEASON: The LPGA Drive On Championship will be the first of two consecutive weeks in Ohio on the LPGA Tour, with the Marathon LPGA Classic taking place next week. GOLF Channel will televise live coverage of the LPGA Drive On Championship Friday-Sunday, July 31-Aug. 2, with expanded streaming coverage during all three days on GOLF Channel Digital. World No. 2 Nelly Korda and No. 4 Danielle Kang headline the field that includes eight of the 12 players from the winning 2019 European Solheim Cup team and all 12 members from the U.S. team.

LPGA Drive On Championship Programming Schedule on GOLF Channel (all times EST)
Friday 9-11:30 a.m. (GOLF Channel) / 9 a.m.-Noon (GOLF Channel Digital)
Saturday 4:30-7 p.m. (GOLF Channel) / 4-7 p.m. (GOLF Channel Digital)
Sunday 5-7 p.m. (GOLF Channel) / 4-7 p.m. (GOLF Channel Digital)

Major champion Karen Stupples will serve as lead analyst for the LPGA Drive On Championship, joined by play-by-play host Grant Boone in the broadcast booth. Tom Abbott will serve as a hole announcer, with Jerry Foltz and Kay Cockerill reporting from the course. GOLF Channel is scheduled to mic up a featured group during Saturday’s second round of play, giving viewers an inside-the-ropes audio viewpoint during the round.

The LPGA Drive On Championship – taking place at the same venue as the 2021 Solheim Cup – is the first LPGA Tour event to be contested since the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open in February, and the first LPGA Tour event in the U.S. since the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio in January.

NBC SPORTS GROUP TO TELEVISE ALL FOUR WOMEN’S MAJORS IN 2020
For the first time, GOLF Channel and NBC will be the television home for all five women’s golf major championships with the addition of the U.S. Women’s Open as a result of the USGA transferring its U.S. media rights to NBC Sports. In 2020, television coverage will include four rescheduled major championships: AIG Women’s Open (Aug. 20-23, GOLF Channel and NBC); ANA Inspiration (Sept. 10-13, GOLF Channel); KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (Oct. 8-11, GOLF Channel and NBC) and U.S. Women’s Open (Dec. 10-13, GOLF Channel and NBC).

For the second consecutive year, the LPGA Tour season will conclude on NBC, with live, final round coverage of the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship following live coverage of the first three rounds on GOLF Channel.

HALL-OF-FAMER JUDY RANKIN TO CONTINUE 36TH YEAR IN TELEVISION
Hall-of-Famer and 26-time LPGA Tour winner Judy Rankin will resume her 10th season as GOLF Channel’s lead LPGA Tour analyst – and 36th season overall in television – at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship (Aug. 28-30). She will rotate with Paige Mackenzie and Stupples as lead LPGA Tour analysts for the remainder of the 2020 season.

NBC Sports Group 2020 LPGA Tour Resumed Schedule
LPGA Drive On Championship July 31-Aug. 2 GOLF
Marathon LPGA Classic Aug. 6-9 GOLF
Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open Aug. 13-16 GOLF
AIG Women’s Open Aug. 20-23 GOLF/NBC
Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Aug. 28-30 GOLF
ANA Inspiration Sept. 10-13 GOLF
Cambia Portland Classic Sept. 17-20 GOLF
Kia Classic Sept. 24-27 GOLF
ShopRite LPGA Classic Oct. 2-4 GOLF
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Oct. 8-11 GOLF/NBC
Buick LPGA Shanghai Oct. 15-18 GOLF
BMW Ladies Championship Oct. 22-25 GOLF
Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA Oct. 29-Nov. 1 GOLF
TOTO Japan Classic Nov. 6-8 GOLF
Pelican Women’s Championship Nov. 19-22 GOLF
Volunteers of America Classic Dec. 3-6 GOLF
U.S. Women’s Open Dec. 10-13 GOLF/NBC
CME Group Tour Championship Dec. 17-20 GOLF/NBC

-NBC Sports Group-

NBC SPORTS KICKS OFF 2019 LPGA TOUR SEASON THIS WEEK

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NBC Sports Group to Air 33 LPGA Events in 2019 Featuring More Than 430 Tournament Hours, Most Number of Hours in LPGA Tour History

 

NBC Sports to Bookend LPGA Tour Season with Inaugural Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and Conclude with the CME Group Tour Championship,

Nearly Doubling its Live Hours in 2019

 

Golf’s First Major of 2019 – ANA Inspiration – Centerpiece of Seven-Event West Coast Swing in Primetime on GOLF Channel

 

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 16, 2019 – NBC Sports Group kicks off its coverage of the 2019 LPGA Tour season this week with the inaugural Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, the first of 33 official events totaling 435 hours of tournament coverage, marking the highest number of events and most hours ever in a single calendar year for the LPGA Tour.

“We are very happy to continue this great partnership with our friends at Golf Channel and NBC,” said LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan. “Our LPGA Tour players are some of the world’s finest athletes, yet their lives outside the ropes are just as compelling. We look forward to working with Golf Channel and NBC to bring those stories to our millions of fans across the United States and around the globe.”

 

“NBC Sports’ LPGA Tour coverage in 2019 features our most hours ever, including kicking off and capping the season with broadcast coverage on NBC,” said Molly Solomon, executive producer, GOLF Channel. “We continue to invest in our LPGA Tour coverage, elevating their stars as they travel the globe on this international tour. GOLF Channel will showcase 33 LPGA Tour events, including four of five women’s major championships and the Solheim Cup, making us the home to women’s golf.”

 

MOST NUMBER OF BROADCAST HOURS ON NBC IN LPGA HISTORY

For the first time, NBC will bookend the LPGA Tour season, beginning this week with the inaugural Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and concluding with live coverage of the CME Group Tour Championship, the season-ending event on the LPGA Tour in November. NBC also will air live coverage of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the AIG Women’s British Open in 2019, nearly doubling the number of live tournament hours on NBC.

 

In total, NBC Sports Group’s coverage of 33 LPGA Tour events in 2019 will feature nearly 90% of all tournament coverage live, highlighted by four of the five major championships and the biennial Solheim Cup, taking place Sept. 13-15 in Perthshire, Scotland. GOLF Channel will air live comprehensive coverage of the ANA Inspiration and all three days of the Solheim Cup.

 

DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS KICKS OFF 2019 SEASON

The inaugural Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by Insurance Office of America features 26 LPGA Tour winners from the past two seasons and celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment. GOLF Channel will air live coverage Thursday and Friday (Noon-3 p.m. ET). Weekend coverage will air on GOLF Channel from 2-3 p.m. ET, continuing on NBC from 3-5 p.m. ET.

 

Paige Mackenzie will serve as lead analyst for live tournament coverage of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, joined by Grant Boone as play-by-play host. Tom Abbott will serve as a hole announcer with Jerry Foltz and Karen Stupples reporting from the course. Chantel McCabe will conduct post-round interviews as well as interviews with celebrities and players on the 18th tee during the tournament telecasts.

 

GOLF’S FIRST MAJOR OF 2019, ANA INSPIRATION, CENTERPIECE OF SIX-EVENT WEST COAST SWING IN PRIMETIME

Following the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, the LPGA Tour will travel to Australia, Thailand and Singapore for a four-week stretch in February and March before returning to the U.S. in mid-March for a six-week stretch of live coverage in primetime concluding in early May, with the centerpiece being golf’s first major of 2019, the ANA Inspiration (Thursday-Sunday, April 4-7).

 

NBC Sports Group LPGA Tour Schedule Through West Coast Swing

Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Jan. 17-20 GOLF / NBC
ISPS Handa Vic Open Feb. 7-10 GOLF
ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open Feb. 14-17 GOLF
Honda LPGA Thailand Feb. 21-24 GOLF
HSBC Women’s World Championship Feb. 28 – March 3 GOLF
Bank of Hope Founders Cup March 21-24 GOLF
Kia Classic March 28-31 GOLF
ANA Inspiration April 4-7 GOLF
LOTTE Championship April 17-20 GOLF
Hugel-Air Premia LA Open April 25-28 GOLF
LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship May 2-5 GOLF

 

ABOUT THE LPGA

The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla., the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 2,300 members representing more than 30 countries. With a vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while the Symetra Tour, the official development and qualifying tour of the LPGA, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. Additionally, LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management.

 

The LPGA demonstrates its dedication to the development of the game through The LPGA Foundation. Since 1991, this charitable organization has been committed to empowering and supporting girls and women through developmental, humanitarian and golf community initiatives, including LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the LPGA Women’s Network and the LPGA Amateur Golf Association.

 

Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via www.LPGA.com. Join the social conversation at www.facebook.com/lpga, www.twitter.com/lpga and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo, and on Instagram and Snapchat at @lpga_tour.

 

ABOUT NBC SPORTS GROUP’S GOLF DIVISION

NBC Sports Group’s GOLF division delivers multimedia golf content, technology and services. Anchored by GOLF Channel – co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 – GOLF content is available to nearly 500 million viewers in nine languages across more than 70 countries around the world. GOLF features more live golf coverage than all other U.S. networks combined, including global tournament action from the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, European Tour, NCAA, THE PLAYERS, The Open, Olympics, Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, as well as high-quality news, instruction and original programming. Delivering unmatched coverage from the world of golf via GOLF Digital, fans can access GOLF’s 24/7 live streaming through the NBC Sports App, as well as complementary coverage via PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold. In addition to these all-encompassing media platforms, NBC Sports connects the world to golf through a wide array of digital technology and lifestyle services, including: GOLFNOW, the world’s largest online tee time booking platform; Revolution GOLF, the world’s largest direct-to-consumer digital platform in golf, offering best-in-class video instruction and game improvement products; GOLF Advisor, the ultimate digital destination for the traveling golfer, featuring the largest number of user-generated golf course ratings and reviews in the industry; a North American network of GOLF Academy instructional facilities; and GOLF Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour. With its world headquarters in Orlando, an international office in Belfast, and regional offices across North America, Europe and Australia, GOLF’s global reach also features partnerships with Sky Sports, and St Andrews Links as the Official Media Partner.

 

-NBC Sports Group-

Media Contacts:

Jeremy Friedman

Golf Channel Communications

407-355-4058

Jeremy.Friedman@golfchannel.com

 

Christina Lance

Senior Manager, Tour Media

LPGA

908-963-1691

Christina.Lance@lpga.com

 

GOLF CHANNEL POSTS MOST-WATCHED, MOST-STREAMED & MOST-ENGAGED THIRD QUARTER EVER

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Golf Digital’s Video Starts Already Sets Best Year Ever Mark

NBC Sports Group’s 2018 PGA TOUR Broadcast Season Posts Most-Watched Year Since 2006

 

Orlando, FL, (Oct 4, 2018) – Golf Channel wrapped its best third quarter ever, across viewership, streaming and digital engagement. This was fueled by Tiger Woods’ return to the top echelon of the game, especially across NBC Sports’ slate of marquee third quarter events, including The 147th Open, PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs, and the Ryder Cup.

 

MOST-WATCHED, MOST-STREAMED, MOST-ENGAGED THIRD QUARTER EVER

  • Golf Channel posted its most-watched third quarter ever (126,000, P2+) across a 24-hour period, up 9% vs. 2017 (116k).
  • September was Golf Channel’s most-watched September ever (132k), up 33% vs. 2017, and becomes the third month this year to set a most-watched milestone (January and March).
  • Golf Digital’s most-streamed quarter ever with 342 million minutes streamed, up 72% vs. 2017.
  • Golf Digital’s record-setting pace in 2018 includes video starts already setting its most-engaged year ever with 53.4 million starts with the full fourth quarter still remaining.

 

“Golf’s third quarter benefitted from NBCUniversal’s expertise in promoting, producing and partnering with some of golf’s biggest events and the return of the sport’s biggest star. Golf Channel is now on record pace for its best year ever,” said Mike McCarley, president, Golf, NBC Sports. “This momentum continues as we chronicle Tiger Woods’ comeback in a unique situation where he’s competing against a generation of athletes he inspired, across an improved 2019 schedule featuring marquee events from March through August.”

 

ADDITIONAL YEAR-TO-DATE HIGHLIGHTS IN 2018 INCLUDE:

  • With nearly 3,450 live hours programmed in 2018, Golf Channel has its most live hours ever programmed, up 107% vs. 2010, the year prior to Golf Channel becoming a part of the NBC Sports Group.
  • NBC Sports’ PGA TOUR live coverage has averaged 3.7 million viewers in 2018, up 60% vs. 2017, and making it NBC’s most-watched PGA TOUR season since 2006.
  • Golf Channel’s PGA TOUR live coverage has averaged 523k viewers for the 2017-2018 season, up 29% vs. the 2016-2017 season and Golf Channel’s most-watched PGA TOUR season since the wrap-around season began in fall, 2012.

 

THIRD QUARTER EVENTS DRIVING RECORD VIEWERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT:

  • Ryder Cup: Up vs. 2014:
    • NBC Sports’ live television coverage of the Ryder Cup drew nearly 3 million unique viewers, up 8% vs. 2014, the last time Europe hosted the event.
    • Across Golf Channel and NBC, Total Audience Delivery (TAD) was up all three days 2014.
  • PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoffs: Best Ever In Playoff History:
    • NBC Sports’ live television coverage of all four FedExCup Playoff events was most-viewed since 2007, drawing 32.6 million unique viewers, up 44% vs. 2017.
    • The last three weekends’ TAD Delivery of 3.33 million average viewers on NBC, up 55% vs. 2017, and early round coverage at all four events TAD was 863k average viewers on Golf Channel, up 40% vs. 2017.
  • The 147TH Open: Largest Total Audience in Five Years:
    • NBC Sports’ live television coverage drew 26 million unique viewers, most for The Open since 2013, and up 19% vs. 2017.
    • Across all four days, digital streaming garnered 125 million minutes, up 24% vs. 2017, and making The 147th Open the most-streamed golf event ever for NBC Sports.
    • Viewership across The R&A’s three major championships, The Open, Senior Open and Women’s British Open, was the most-watched since 2009 (TNT/ABC), and up 24%, vs. 2017

 

GOLF CHANNEL’S FOURTH QUARTER SCHEDULE OF MARQUEE EVENTS:

  • Scotland to South Korea This Week:
    • European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship each morning from the historic trio of the Old Course St. Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie, which earlier this year hosted The 147th Open and was where Champion Golfer of the Year and European Ryder Cup hero “Frankie” Molinari was first matched up against a resurgent Tiger Woods.
    • PGA TOUR’s 2018/2019 FedExCup Season kicks off at the Safeway Open in Napa, Calif. Golf Channel is the exclusive home to the next nine PGA TOUR events, leading up to NBC Sports’ coverage of Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in December.
    • UL International Crown featuring 32 LPGA Tour stars in primetime from golf-crazed South Korea as they represent their countries in this eight-team, match play event. USA is defending their 2016 crown.
  • October’s East Lake Cup, College Golf’s Marquee Fall Event: Mon., Oct 29-Wed., Oct 31
    • The 2018 NCAA Championships’ semi-final men’s and women’s teams square off again at East Lake Golf Club. Women’s: Reigning NCAA National Champions Univ. of Arizona, Alabama, Stanford and USC, defending East Lake Cup champions. Men’s: Reigning NCAA Champions Oklahoma St., Alabama, Auburn and Duke.
  • PGA TOUR Champions, LPGA Tour and European Tour Wrap Season-Long Races:
    • PGA TOUR Champions: Charles Schwab Cup Championship, Phoenix, Nov. 8-11
    • LPGA Tour: CME Group Tour Championship, Naples, Fla., Nov 15-18
    • European Tour: DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, Nov 15-18

Sources: TV: Nielsen, Live + Same Day US HH Rtgs. P2+ Avg 000’s and P2+ reach with 6-minute qualifier. Digital: Adobe Site Catalyst. Details available.

 

ABOUT GOLF CHANNEL

Golf Channel is a multimedia, golf entertainment and services company based in Orlando, Fla. Serving the most-affluent audience in all of television, Golf Channel – co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 and now part of NBC Sports Group – is available to nearly 500 million viewers in more than 80 countries and nine languages around the world. Golf Channel features more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, including tournament action from the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, The Open, Olympics, and Ryder Cup, as well as high-quality news, instruction and original programming. Delivering unmatched coverage of the world of golf, fans are able to enjoy 24/7 live streaming of Golf Channel content through Golf Digital and the NBC Sports App, powered by Playmaker Media. In addition, Golf Channel connects the world to golf through a wide array of digital and lifestyle services including Golf Channel Mobile, a comprehensive app covering golf’s latest headlines, scores and analysis; GolfNow, the world’s largest online tee time booking platform and golf course technology partner, which includes the GolfNow Mobile App, featuring on-course GPS tracking, in-round scoring and game tracking; Revolution Golf, the largest direct-to-consumer digital platform in golf ; GolfAdvisor.com, the world’s largest golf course ratings and review resource for golfers, by golfers; a North American network of Golf Channel Academy instructional facilities; and Golf Channel Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour; and as the Official Media Partner of St. Andrews Links, the Home of Golf.

 

-NBC Sports Group-