PGA.com, a Turner Sports website, introduced mobile streaming this week for the PGA Championship. Streaming had been available on the PGA Championship app for iPhone or iPad, as well as the online website, but this week, for the first time, PGA.com’s live streaming could be accessed through any Web browser on any mobile device. The PGA.com mobile website offers scoring updates and video highlights, in addition to live streaming of the on-course action. Turner, which won a Sports Emmy for last year’s coverage of “PGA Championship Live,” also is cross-promoting PGA.com on its TNT broadcasts. For the first time, TNT is allowing the analysts on PGA.com (Brian Katrek, Michael Breed) to occasionally call some of the action on the TNT broadcast. When TNT throws it to PGA.com, the TV broadcast carries the featured group for a hole that also is being showed on PGA.com. Turner Sports VP/Business Operations Jon Kropp called it the most extensive integration between the TV broadcast and the live streaming that it has had. “We’ve always promoted our digital coverage on TNT, but this is the first time we’ve shown the PGA.com streaming and the PGA.com brand like this,” Kropp said.
EARLY ROUNDS DRAW MOST TRAFFIC: Traffic on PGA.com tends to be the strongest on Thursdays and Fridays when many viewers are catching the action while at work. About 80% of the "PGA Championship Live" traffic in the past came from the first two rounds. Kropp said the mobile streaming will draw more viewers on the weekend and lend balance to PGA.com’s overall traffic on weekdays and the weekend. Kropp said Turner and the PGA of America work very closely on the advertising. Many of the PGA’s top sponsors, including Mercedes-Benz, National Car Rental, Westin and Omega are prominent advertisers on "PGA Championship Live." Some non-PGA sponsors, such as Bridgestone, are advertising as well, either on the live stream or on the array of video highlights that are offered. “It’s Turner’s responsibility to sell the advertising, but we work very closely with the PGA, and their sponsors are huge supporters of what we’re doing on PGA.com,” Kropp said. “Innovation is not cheap and they allow us to be very innovative.” Bridgestone is a PGA Tour official partner, but not a PGA of America sponsor. Turner also runs PGATour.com, which enables it to sell across multiple golf platforms. That deal between Turner and the Tour runs out this year, but Turner has a long-term arrangement with PGA of America.
