NBC Sports' coverage of the Ryder Cup next week will feature a campaign called "Playing Through," in which fans will "see a split-screen" with the right side "playing an ad and the left side allowing you to see continuous live action" during commercial breaks, according to Alex Myers of GOLF DIGEST. It is "similar to the way" NASCAR shows commercials during races with its side-by-side coverage. There will "still be normal commercial breaks, but NBC expects this to replace those about a third of the time and mostly at the backend of the day's coverage when there's the most drama going on" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 9/20). AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Matt Yoder writes this is a "nice innovation for the Ryder Cup and I can imagine golf fans will be very receptive towards being able to see more shots from the event, in lieu of full-screen commercials." If the feature is successful at the Ryder Cup, it is "hard to imagine side-by-side coverage not becoming a staple of golf coverage throughout the year" (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 9/21).
EXAMINING THEIR OPTIONS: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Ourand & Lombardo report top PGA Tour officials have "met with each of the big four broadcast networks over the past few weeks, as the group considers opting out of its current broadcast rights deals." CBS and NBC "hold rights for 31 golf events" through '21, but the PGA Tour can "opt out of the deal" after the '18 season. Golf Channel holds PGA Tour cable rights through '21, with "no early opt-out provision." This year, PGA Tour viewership, according to the networks, is "down on CBS and up slightly on NBC." Sources "describe the meetings as informational -- money was not discussed and deal negotiations did not start." But the meetings "attracted the interest of the top executives in the networks’ sports departments" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/19 issue).
