GolfChannel.com sets record of its own
ORLANDO, Fla. (April 13, 2010) – Golf Channel’s Masters Week programming, which was highlighted by more than 37 hours of Live From the Masters news coverage, not only was unprecedented and unmatched by any other television network, it was the most-watched Masters Week in the network’s 15-year history.
Fourteen million* people tuned in for all or part of Masters Week on Golf Channel, topping 2009 numbers by more than 20 percent.
Operating from two studios and airing up to eight hours of live news a day – in addition to hourly updates throughout each day – Golf Channel had the Masters covered with news, highlight shows and other Masters-related programming. Live From, the network’s news franchise that airs around golf’s major championships, led the way. Saturday’s pre-game coverage (12:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET) garnered a 0.9** rating, which is the highest-rated Live From telecast ever during any major championship week.
Golf Channel’s record coverage kicked off on Monday, April 5, with a live airing of Tiger Woods’ pre-tournament news conference from Augusta National, which garnered Golf Channel the highest rating (0.5***) of any sports network, and placed the network behind only Fox News Channel and CNN in a ranking of all cable networks that televised it.
Golf Channel.com, which streamed Woods’ news conference live, pulled in page views for Masters Week that ranked second only to the week of the 2009 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship when Woods returned to competitive golf following knee surgery. April 8 posted nearly 2.2 million page views, which represented the largest single day so far in 2010.****
Live From the Masters featured two teams of Golf Channel broadcasters – 25 in total – reporting from a custom, remote set in Augusta and the network’s Orlando studios. Contributing to the week’s success was PGA TOUR professional Notah Begay, who made his broadcasting debut as a Golf Channel analyst.
About Golf Channel:
Golf Channel is a multimedia, golf entertainment and services company based in Orlando, Fla. The Golf Channel cable network, co-founded by Arnold Palmer and a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is available in more than 120 million homes worldwide through cable, satellite and wireless companies. Exclusive partnerships with the world’s top tours allow Golf Channel to feature more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, added to a programming schedule distinguished by golf’s best news, instruction and original programming. Golf Channel’s digital platform of businesses is led by www.GolfChannel.com, the number-one golf destination on the Internet, delivering unmatched coverage of the world of golf, as well as services that help the recreational player with how to play, what to play and where to play golf.
* Source: Nielsen analysis of NPOWER data, P2+, April 5 – 11, 2010, 6a -6a Mon – Sun, Live + SD, Reach (000) with 6 min qualifier. Subject to qualifications upon request.
**Source: Source: Nielsen MIT using Star Trak, April 5-11, 2010 vs. prior years. Live + SD HH Cvg. AA% and Persons 2+ (000’s). Subject to qualifications upon request.
***Source: Nielsen Galaxy Explorer, 4/05/10 2-2:45pm, HH L + SD Cvg AA %, ranked against all competitive cable nets. Subject to qualifications upon request.
****Source: Omniture
Contact:
Dan Higgins
Golf Channel Public Relations
407-355-4018
dhiggins@golfchannel.com
