US commercial and pay-television broadcaster NBC Sports Group has formed a global digital media partnership for golf’s Ryder Cup with the PGA of America and European Tour.
NBC Sports, which holds broadcast rights to the Ryder Cup in the US through to 2030, will develop a multi-platform Ryder Cup presence, including a website that serves fans of both the US and European teams and a new app that will seek to enhance both the onsite and overall viewing experience.
The long-term relationship begins in advance of the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. The PGA of America and the European Tour will lead the sales process through their Global Partner Program, and NBC Sports will develop and execute customised digital activations for partners.
Digital content for the Ryder Cup platforms will be provided by all three organisations, as well as the Ryder Cup’s UK rights-holder, pay-television broadcaster Sky, which like NBC Sports, is owned by Comcast.
Jeff Price, chief commercial officer of the PGA of America, said: “This is an important next step in expanding the global reach of the Ryder Cup. This relationship will allow us to deliver the best possible digital, social and emerging technology experiences to fans around the globe. It will also add significant value for global brands that want to participate in this iconic sporting event as part of their marketing mix.”
Rufus Hack, chief content officer at the European Tour, added: “The 2018 Ryder Cup in France saw more than 22 billion social media impressions across the week – the highest in the event’s history – and this exciting partnership with two of our key partners will allow us to expand the reach of our award-winning social and digital content to even greater numbers.”
NBC Sports Group is a division of US media company NBCUniversal.