Primary focus will be on enhancing PGATOUR.com, the leading site in golf
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL and ATLANTA – The PGA TOUR and Turner Sports New Media, a division of Time Warner, announced today the signing of a multi-year Internet and Mobile agreement. Turner Sports New Media will partner with the PGA TOUR to produce and sell PGATOUR.com, the official site of the PGA TOUR.
PGATOUR.com is the number one site in golf, leading other sites in key user metrics, including number of fans, times spent per fan and consumption per fan. PGATOUR.com leads coverage of the tournament competition of PGA TOUR players and of other facets of golf with a strong combination of exclusive assets, including exclusive live scoring, exclusive use of ShotLink distance data, including Emmy Award winning TOURCast coverage; exclusive audio and video coverage, highlights, unparalleled "access" and much more.
"We are excited about the future of the New Media business, and especially with our new partnership with Turner Sports New Media," said Ed Moorhouse, Co-Chief Operating Officer of the PGA TOUR. "With the coming of the FedExCup in 2007, truly a new era in golf, the timing is perfect to partner with Turner, a leader in the digital media space and to increase investment in our New Media offerings, beginning with PGATOUR.com. We look forward to even more innovation, compelling coverage and entertainment value on these platforms."
"Golf lends itself perfectly to the New Media platforms as there is a great deal, over 30 hours worth, of competition each week that fans want to know about," said David Levy, president of Turner Sports. "The Internet and mobile platforms are the best way to deliver this additional information to fans in their offices, homes or on the go. In addition, our new alliance with the PGA TOUR speaks volumes about the reputation that Turner Sports New Media has established in the marketplace. From production to sales to technology, Turner Sports has a reputation of maximizing opportunities and building league brands."
"We couldn’t be more pleased to partner with Turner Sports New Media in this venture," said Paul Johnson, Vice President of PGATOUR New Media. "Turner brings world-class digital media capabilities, and has shown it can partner successfully with leagues to create compelling fan experiences and businesses. The partnership positions the TOUR and Turner to take the fan experience to the next level in the golf new media landscape."
Turner Sports New Media also handles PGA.com. This venture is structured to unlock the synergies between the properties and create an even stronger, more dominant position for each in the golf new media landscape.
In addition to the above, Turner will provide promotion across its family of media brands to support and grow the venture and the TOUR will continue to promote via PGATOUR.com via its various promotional assets.
The PGA TOUR and Turner Sports New Media are planning enhancements to PGATOUR.com, including the depth of coverage and the fan experience. These will be announced in more detail closer to the 2007 season launch.
About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is to provide competitive earnings opportunities for past, current and future members of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world.
In 2006, the three Tours will compete in nearly 120 events for approximately $325 million in prize money. Tournaments will be held in eight countries outside the U.S. and in 38 states.
In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, TOUR events also generate significant funds for local charities. In fact, the three Tours reached the $1 billion mark in overall charitable contributions in late 2005. The PGA TOUR’s web site address is www.pgatour.com and the company is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
About Turner Sports
Turner Sports, Inc., a Time Warner company, presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised sports programming. With events airing on TBS and TNT, Turner Sports’ line-up includes the NBA, NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, Major League Baseball, college football, professional golf, and PGATour.com and PGA.com.
Contact:
Jeff Pomeroy
Turner Sports
(404) 827-4786
jeff.pomeroy@turner.com
Chris Smith
PGA Tour
(904) 285-3700
chrissmith@pgatourhq.com
