Golf media has undergone significant disruption recently, notably with one of the key disruptors collaborating with a legacy golf brand. On Wednesday evening, Golf Channel will air the Good Good Desert Knockout, a live competition featuring the popular YouTube golf crew, Good Good, employing a unique format that may be unfamiliar to the average golf fan. Twelve teams of two will compete in a “knockout” competition, where players are eliminated if they record the worst score on a particular hole, continuing until just one team remains.
Golf Channel’s George Savaricas, who will be on the call for the event, explained how he prepares for such a unique format: “It’s so contrary to a standard week with what I’m accustomed to on the PGA Tour,” he told Awful Announcing. “It’s referencing the conversations happening on social media or in YouTube circles, adding context to who these players are and why they have a following.” This following is substantial, skewing younger than a traditional Golf Channel viewer, with Good Good boasting over 1.7 million YouTube subscribers, nearly a million on Instagram, and over half a million on TikTok, regularly posting unique challenges and competitions featuring professional golfers and celebrities. However, the real stars of the show are the men behind the Good Good brand.
Last year, Good Good’s inaugural event attracted 2,500 fans despite inclement weather, highlighting the dedication of their audience. “I had no grasp of just how sticky the audience is for Good Good,” said Savaricas, who also called the previous event. “Three guys told me they drove six hours from Las Cruces, New Mexico, just to watch and drive back that same night. It really resonated with me how diehard their fanbase is.” Golf Channel aims to introduce Good Good viewers to its network, potentially fostering a new generation of Golf Channel enthusiasts. In contrast, Good Good gains exposure to an audience less accustomed to consuming golf content primarily on platforms like YouTube.
Tom Knapp, EVP of Golf for NBC Sports, emphasized the mutually beneficial nature of the partnership, stating, “Golf is a lifestyle that has evolved rapidly. YouTube has allowed today’s younger golfers to form communities through creating and streaming engaging content. It’s a genuine connection we’ve embraced. More young adults are participating in golf than ever, and Good Good has invited us into their community. Today’s Good Good fans are tomorrow’s business leaders. Our collaboration will give Good Good exposure to the influential Golf Channel audience, making this partnership truly advantageous.”
This cross-collaboration in media is favorable for both parties involved. While it can be challenging to find two distinct audiences with a shared interest in similar content, the tie-up between the young, online Good Good audience and the older, linear-focused Golf Channel audience could prove beneficial. Both groups are inclined to consume golf content, yet awareness of each other’s offerings remains low. Ultimately, both audiences share a desire to watch golf, and there are likely members in each demographic who would enjoy content produced by the other entity. There’s arguably no better way to attract fans outside of your primary demographics than through such collaborations. So, the next time you find yourself chatting with a 55-year-old man at your local muni about the Good Good crew, you’ll understand why.
