As Comcast prepares to spinoff its legacy cable assets from under the NBC umbrella, many golf fans are wondering how coverage will change after Golf Channel separates from NBC. NBC Sports EVP of Golf Tom Knapp reassures fans that their viewing experience won’t alter much, at least initially. In a conversation with Front Office Sports’ David Rumsey at the PGA Show in Orlando, Knapp stated, “Early stage, fans will feel exactly the same. Our production will be what you’re used to. The goal is, though, to innovate and perhaps be a little bit more nimble than we’ve been in the past.”
This sentiment mirrors what NBC Sports President Rick Cordella mentioned late last year after the announcement of “SpinCo.” Cordella assured, “From a sports perspective, the partners we have on cable assets like Golf Channel and USA, we’re going to fulfill every obligation, every promise we made to them across NBC.” While Knapp indicates that Golf Channel will maintain a close partnership with NBC, the emphasis is on evolution.
“We are still going to be partnered with NBC in various ways. However, the goal is to be more flexible in evolving what we do,” Knapp explained. “We recognize that our viewer base tends to be older, which is positive as it means they have disposable income. Nevertheless, we must also appeal to the next generation of golfers who mostly consume content on YouTube. You’ll see us increasing collaboration with content creators and integrating them into our programming in numerous ways.” These efforts may involve initiatives similar to Golf Channel’s upcoming Good Good GolfNow Desert Knockout, featuring creators from the popular Good Good YouTube channel competing in primetime. For now, Golf Channel’s priority remains focused on delivering live events and related programming, as that is what most viewers tune in for, regardless of its affiliation with NBC.
