TV TALKS: The PGA of America and CBS are in talks for a new TV rights deal for the PGA Championship.
CBS, which has broadcast the PGA Championship since 1991, has an exclusive negotiating window that runs through the fall, according to Jeff Price, chief commercial officer for the PGA of America.
Price and other PGA of America executives spent part of the week at Bellerive Country Club discussing a potential new deal. The current 10-year deal with CBS runs through 2019.
“Our expectation is that in the fall we will have an idea of what direction we will go,” said Kevin Ring, chief revenue officer of the PGA of America.
NEW SPONSORS: Two new sponsors began deals with the PGA of America at Bellerive in Anheuser-Busch’s Ultra brand and Jim Beam.
In addition to becoming the official beer of the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup, Ultra will become the presenting sponsor of the Wannamaker Club at the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black. Jim Beam has pouring rights in concession areas at the PGA Championship and has on-course signage.
One potential new sponsor appears to be BMW. The PGA of America’s auto deal with Mercedes ended after last year’s PGA Championship. While BMW does not yet have an official deal with the PGA of America, it was noteworthy that BMW provided the player courtesy car fleet.
Ring said BMW has been engaged with the PGA of America, but no official partnership has been finalized. “We have had positive conversations and the conversations continue,” he said.
Other sponsors with on-site rights at Bellerive were Pepsi, Constellation Energy, Chase and Omega.
