PGA TOUR expands coverage with new ESPN+ deal
Golf fans who have been clamoring for more live coverage woke up to some wonderful news Monday morning.
Beginning in January 2022, ESPN+ will feature four new PGA TOUR streaming feeds that'll provide viewers with over 4,300 hours of live tournament coverage, announced the PGA TOUR and ESPN+.
PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ will include live coverage of 35 tournaments, starting with the Sentry Tournament of Champions and running through the PGA TOUR's fall swing.
Each tournament will feature four simultaneous live feeds. The "main feed" will consist of primary tournament coverage focusing on the best action from across the course, similar to the regular broadcast that viewers are used to. The "marquee group" feed will showcase every shot by one particular group. The "featured groups" feed will air the traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent groups. The "featured holes" feed will display live action from the most pivotal and exciting holes.
The "main feed" will go away when the regular network broadcast begins, but ESPN+ subscribers will still be able to watch the "featured groups" and "featured holes" channels.
The PGA TOUR LIVE's weekly production crew will increase from approximately 85 people to over 200, with 16 different cameras on the course at all times. The expanded talent roster hasn't been finalized but is set to feature John Swantek, Jonathan Coachman, Lisa Cornwell, and Ned Michaels in studio, as well as Christina Kim, Karen Stupples, Mark Immelman, Chantel McCabe, Mark Wilson, Stuart Appleby, and Michael Collins as on-course analysts.
PGA TOUR LIVE will be a part of ESPN+ subscriptions, so those who are already paying for ESPN+ won't have to pay additional fees for the expanded coverage.
"The PGA TOUR couldn't be more excited to launch a new era in content delivery with Disney and ESPN+, which will greatly expand and diversify our audience reach," said Rick Anderson, chief media officer of the PGA TOUR. "There will be more content available to our fans than ever before with an exciting and diverse group of on-air talent delivering the action."