Golf’s PGA Tour has sealed an agreement with Facebook under which the social media website will distribute exclusive Saturday and Sunday live competition coverage on a free basis from eight tournaments leading up to the 2017-18 FedExCup Playoffs.
The coverage will be available via the Facebook Watch platform in the US, with the coverage being produced under the PGA Tour Live brand.
In keeping with the tour’s subscription-based OTT service, the coverage will follow two featured groups that will tee off in the morning of the third and final rounds. Following the featured groups coverage, PGA Tour Live-featured holes coverage will be streamed globally on a non-exclusive basis on Facebook.
The two parties will also work together on creating a range of on-demand programming, including tournament previews, round recaps and extended player highlights, all of which will be available in the US on Facebook Watch, and globally via the PGA Tour Live page.
The coverage will be produced specifically for Facebook, with interactive elements added to engage fans, including the ability to post questions and comments.
The initiative will begin this weekend with coverage of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, US, with the remaining events on the 2018 calendar including the Quicken Loans National, Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, John Deere Classic, RBC Canadian Open, World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational; Wyndham Championship and Northern Trust.
Chris Wandell, vice-president of media business development at the PGA Tour, said: “The PGA Tour has put a premium on distributing exclusive content on emerging media platforms with a goal of reaching new and diverse audiences.”