A new, global Ryder Cup digital-media relationship has been formed by the PGA of America, European Tour and NBC Sports Group.
NBC Sports will develop a multi-platform Ryder Cup presence, including a comprehensive website that serves fans of both the US and European teams and a new app that will enhance both the onsite and overall viewing experience.
The long-term relationship begins in advance of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin (Sept 25-27, 2020).
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 these Ryder Cup platforms will be provided by all three organisations, as well as NBC Sports’ colleagues at Sky Sports, which is owned by Comcast.
“This is an important next step in expanding the global reach of the Ryder Cup,” said Jeff Price, Chief Commercial Officer of the PGA of America. “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 for 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. It is fantastic news for fans who follow the contest avidly and also for the many global brands who are associated with one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions.”
Will McIntosh, Executive Vice President, Digital & Sports Consumer Businesses, NBC Sports Group, commented: “As one of the biggest events on the global stage, the Ryder Cup inspires great pride and is a highlight every two years of NBC Sports’ golf calendar. Building upon our comprehensive news and event coverage, NBC Sports Digital now will super-serve fans with engaging content and interactivity across multiple digital platforms, tapping into the passion NBC Sports and Sky Sports have for this unique event.”
Starting in 2020, NBC Sports Digital will operate the back-end service to three of the PGA of America’s championship branded websites, including for the PGA Championship, KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship and the PGA Professional Championship.