With an average of 1.3 million unique visitors monthly, GOLF.com gives Time Inc. and its existing portfolio of Golf Magazine, Golfonline, Sports Illustrated, SI Golf Plus and SI.com’s Golf Plus the widest print and online reach in golf, a sport which counts more than 100 million enthusiasts worldwide.
“This acquisition not only gives Time Inc. the best URL in golf, but also an unprecedented offering of the most powerful and trusted brands in the sport,” said John Squires, co-chief operating officer of Time Inc. “The combination of Golf.com’s popular handicapping feature, the strong service journalism of Golf Magazine and the news and analysis of Sports Illustrated and SI.com’s Golf Plus delivers the most complete coverage of the game however fans and players demand it.”
Golf.com will be run by the company’s Time4 Media division under Golf Magazine publisher Chris Wightman. SirenServ’s founder and CEO Michael Lazerow, 31, will become general manager of Golf.com and Golfonline.
Time Inc. acquired the company from a holding company owned by a consortium of owners including its founders, NBC Universal, Inc., The New York Times Company and private investors. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.