NEW YORK, Nov. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In a major
development as part of the strategic partnership between Discovery,
Inc. and the PGA TOUR, GOLFTV today announced an exclusive
multi-year global content partnership with 80-time PGA TOUR winner
and 14-time Major champion Tiger Woods.
Starting in January 2019, GOLFTV
powered by PGA TOUR, the new global live and on-demand video
streaming service jointly developed by Discovery and the TOUR, will
collaborate with Woods on a wide range of programming, content
creation and storytelling opportunities that will offer fans an
authentic and regular look into the life, mind and performance of
the game's ultimate icon.
The GOLFTV partnership will reveal Woods as fans have never seen
him before, providing an unparalleled opportunity to get close to
Woods' practice routines, preparation and life on the road through
a variety of programming showcased exclusively on GOLFTV.
"I've been watching Discovery and David
Zaslav build up a global sports platform with Eurosport, the
Olympics and the launch of GOLFTV with us at the PGA TOUR, so I
think they're the perfect partner to help grow the game. They're
global, they get sports and know how to build new, younger and big
audiences. It's a perfect fit and I'm so excited to be a real
partner with the Discovery Sports team," said
Woods.
"I love the vision of GOLFTV and the ambition for it to become
the premier destination for golf entertainment worldwide. To have
my own platform to communicate is the culmination of a lot of hard
work from my team and the team at Discovery. We're going to
build content for everyone, whether you've been playing golf for a
long time or just starting out. I'll be sharing stories and giving
insight into my approach that has never been seen before. This is
such an exciting time for golf and for me, so to be part of the
vision to grow the game all around the world is fantastic. I can't
wait to share my knowledge on GOLFTV," he said.
"I want to talk to golf fans and golfers everywhere, directly,
and straight from me. That's important to me. Talking about what we
care about: what's happening on the course, how to play better, how
can I shoot lower scores tomorrow, how can I beat my friends?
David explained how GOLFTV is for the fans and the players, a
single place they'll all want to go, and he's building something
everyone will want," Woods remarked.
Among the plans, Woods and GOLFTV are collaborating to
develop:
- Weekly practice and instructional videos to improve your
game;
- Exclusive access into Tiger's preparation routines;
- Behind-the-scenes access before and after PGA TOUR rounds;
- Unique and exclusive post-round commentary.
"Getting the chance to do instruction is exciting. I've
always been focused on my own game and this experience can help
players everywhere. Whether you're a long-time player or a
beginner, there are some things that help us all play better.
It's one way I want to give back to people who love the game like I
do. If I can help the next generation enjoy the game more and
play better, that's pretty special," Woods
concluded.
A first for Woods on video, this content will be exclusively
owned by GOLFTV globally, including in the United States, where Discovery has the
opportunity to execute an owned or partner distribution
strategy.
David Zaslav, President and
CEO, Discovery, said: "I am excited to welcome Tiger to the
Discovery family and to GOLFTV, a true superstar joining our
company of world-class storytellers and brands. At the heart of
Discovery is high-quality storytelling, told through the most
authentic, credible and trusted voices. Tiger is the ultimate
example of a world-class athlete and cultural figure with whom
audiences are enamored, and follow closely around the world. Our
global partnership with Tiger is a perfect example of our strategy
to collaborate exclusively with top talent to extend global media
platforms, and take advantage of our international distribution and
technology infrastructure and aggregate audiences and build
long-term value.
"With Tiger joining us, I am confident that GOLFTV will be the
new gold standard for comprehensive sports streaming, nourishing
golf fans when and where they want to consume what they are most
passionate about," Zaslav added.
This partnership with GOLFTV comes at an ideal time in Woods'
career, on the heels of a comeback season that saw him return to
form in spectacular fashion, culminating in a history-making win at
the 2018 TOUR Championship in September.
Alex Kaplan, President and
General Manager, Discovery Golf, said: "It's a privilege for us
to welcome Tiger to the GOLFTV team. No one else in the game
resonates globally the way Tiger does or has the global fan base,
and he has great wisdom to share, on and off the course.
We're thrilled to give him the global platform to do just that, and
to provide our audience in more than 200 markets and territories a
closer look at Tiger on the greens and behind the scenes.
"Our long-term partnership with Tiger reflects our broader
ambition as we roll-out the service over the coming years, seeking
to grow GOLFTV into a true ecosystem for all things golf: watching,
learning and playing," Kaplan added.
GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR will be available to fans starting
January 2019*. It will present more
than 2,000 hours of live action each year as well as a wide range
of premium content on-demand, featuring the sport's most exciting
moments, superstar players and tournaments on every screen and
device. Live coverage of the PGA TOUR will be extensive and include
THE PLAYERS Championship, the FedExCup Playoffs and the Presidents
Cup.
DISCOVERY SPORTS is the global leader in live sports with
extensive brands and exclusive partnerships with premium sports and
events including: Eurosport and the Eurosport Player, the Olympic
Games, the Tour de France, Giro
d'Italia, La Vuelta a España, The Championships - Wimbledon, US
Open, Roland Garros, Australian Open, ATP Tour, Bundesliga, English
Premier League, UEFA Europa League, Eliteserien, PGA TOUR, Six
Nations Rugby, FIS Ski World Championships, Moto GP and Formula E
to name only a few.
*Excludes PGA TOUR rights in the
United States.
NOTES TO EDITORS
GOLFTV is a digital video streaming platform and will be
available in all international markets (excluding The United States, China and South
Korea) from January 2019. It
will feature a wide range of premium programming and content,
including the PGA TOUR's Featured Holes and Featured Groups live
streams.
In addition, full live PGA TOUR coverage will be rolled out
market by market in accordance with rights activation dates. The
full live rights starting dates by territory are shown
below:
Date
|
Markets
|
2019
|
Australia, Belgium
(Flemish), Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Portugal,
Russia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam.
|
2020
|
Hungary, Iceland,
Indonesia, Latin America, Poland, South Korea, Thailand.
|
2021
|
Austria, Belgium
(French), Balkan markets, China, Czech Republic, Germany,
Switzerland, South Africa, Taiwan.
|
2022
|
Finland, India, New
Zealand, Sweden, UK & Ireland.
|
2024
|
France, Middle
East.
|
About Discovery
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA,
DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment,
serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with
content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers
over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category
leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world.
Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages,
Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens,
including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps
and Discovery Kids Play; direct-to-consumer streaming services such
as Eurosport Player and Motor Trend OnDemand; digital-first and
social content from Group Nine Media and a strategic alliance with
the PGA Tour to create the Global Home of Golf. Discovery's
portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food
Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, Motor Trend,
Animal Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey
Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading
provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the
Olympic Games across Europe. For
more information, please visit https://corporate.discovery.com/ and
follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.
About GOLFTV
GOLFTV is the new "digital home of golf"
for the global fan community. At the heart of GOLFTV is a live and
on-demand video streaming service, showing every moment of the PGA
TOUR, featuring the world's greatest players, to a global audience
every week. Established with innovation at its core, GOLFTV brings
new drive, creativity and immersive technology to the world of
golf. It aspires to offer fans a new way to consume, watch, play
and engage with the game every day. GOLFTV is part of Discovery, a
global leader in real-life entertainment with an extensive
portfolio of direct-to-consumer platforms. Visit GOLF.TV and follow
@GOLFTV on Twitter for the latest updates.
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SOURCE Discovery, Inc.