Golf Channel and NBC Sports will celebrate the two-year anniversary of the companies joining forces this week at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship with more on-site news and live tournament coverage than ever before, kicking off NBC Sports Group's seven consecutive weeks of coverage dedicated to the PGA TOUR leading up to the Masters in April.
"The partnership between
Golf Channel and
NBC the past two years has been extremely rewarding for
NBC Sports Group, highlighted by two consecutive most-watched years in Golf Channel's 18-year history," said Mike McCarley,
Golf Channel President. "Our goal from the outset was to expose Golf Channel's brand to millions more people through the vast resources of NBCUniversal. Additionally, we have focused on providing a new and unique experience for golf fans across all of our programming."
Golf Channel and
NBC will air more than 60 hours of combined coverage this week from Dove Mountain Resort in Marana, Ariz., including 29 hours of live tournament action on
Golf Channel and
NBC Wednesday-Sunday.
Golf Channel also will deliver comprehensive on-site news coverage throughout the week, headlined by a special State of the Game on Friday in primetime and special Golf Central pre-shows airing on
NBC prior to NBC's live tournament coverage.
WGC-ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE40 Hours of On-Site News Coverage: Golf Channel's news coverage begins today with pre-tournament news conferences from Dove Mountain. Wednesday- Sunday, Golf Central will provide on-site, wraparound news coverage for both
Golf Channel and NBC's live tournament coverage, including special Golf Central pre-shows that will air on
NBC at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday prior to live tournament coverage. Morning Drive, the network's live, weekday morning show that recently expanded to seven days a week, will increase its coverage during the week with a three-hour show Wednesday, Feb. 20 from 7-10 a.m. ET and a four-hour show on Saturday, Feb. 23 from 7-11 a.m. ET.
State of the Game: Friday, Feb. 22 at 10:30 p.m. ET, the biggest names in golf that cover the game -
Dan Hicks,
Johnny Miller, Nick Faldo, Brandel Chamblee and Frank Nobilo - will discuss golf's biggest issues on State of the Game. A Golf Central special, State of the Game will be a roundtable discussion of relevant events making news at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, including World No. 1 Rory's McIlroy's outlook for 2013; Tiger Woods continued quest for Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors and the growth of the Woods / McIlroy rivalry; the possibility of separate rules in golf for amateurs and professionals; and Vijay Singh's legacy.
Golf Central on NBC: Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 23-24 at 1:30 p.m. ET, Rich Lerner, Brandel Chamblee and Frank Nobilo will host special editions of Golf Central that will air exclusively on
NBC leading in to live tournament coverage. These pre-shows will feature early highlights and will prepare viewers for all of the upcoming action on NBC.
Golf Channel and Golf Channel on NBC Broadcast Team: Leading the broadcast for
Golf Channel on NBC's weekend coverage will be
Dan Hicks and
Johnny Miller; and for Golf Channel, Terry Gannon, Nick Faldo, Curt Byrum and Steve Sands. Reporters from both networks will include Roger Maltbie, Gary Koch, Notah Begay,
Peter Jacobsen and
Jimmy Roberts. Kelly Tilghman will serve as host for Golf Channel's tournament coverage.
GolfChannel.com Editorial Coverage and Live Chats: Golf Channel's online team will complement the network's on-air coverage throughout the week on GolfChannel.com. Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner will report on-site from Dove Mountain throughout the week with daily columns, blogs, news articles and breaking news. GolfChannel.com's editorial teams also will participate in live chats online Wednesday-Friday.
NBC SPORTS GROUP'S SEVEN-WEEK PGA TOUR RUNStart of Seven-Week Run on the PGA TOUR: NBC Sports Group will carry live coverage the next seven weeks on the PGA TOUR, including the Florida and Texas swings, leading up to the Masters in April. In addition to this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship,
NBC Sports Group will air The Honda Classic (Feb. 28-March 3), WGC-Cadillac Championship (March 7-10), Tampa Bay Championship (March 14-17), Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard (March 21-24), Shell Houston Open (March 28-31) and the Valero Texas Open (April 4-7).
Spotlight Coverage Returns During Florida Swing: Golf Channel's Spotlight coverage will return during the PGA TOUR's Florida Swing at The Honda Classic, the WGC-Cadillac Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. While
NBC delivers its traditional weekend coverage at these three events,
Golf Channel also will be on the air live, but focusing on a specific stretch of holes on the back nine of the three events. Golf Channel's Spotlight coverage will conclude an hour before tournament conclusion each day, when viewers will be directed to the final hour of NBC's third- and final-round coverage. Golf Channel's production unit providing Spotlight coverage will provide a unique, but complementary, viewing experience showcasing action from notable holes. NBC's production will operate side-by-side with Golf Channel's Spotlight production. Spotlight coverage made its 2013 debut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, covering a three-hole stretch at TPC Scottsdale that included one of the most exciting settings in all of sports - the famous par-3, 16th hole.
The Honda Classic Spotlight Coverage: Holes 15,16,17 at PGA National (The Bear Trap)
WGC-Cadillac Championship Spotlight Coverage: Holes 15,16 and 18 at Doral Resort & Spa
Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard Spotlight Coverage: Holes 16,17 and 18 at Bay Hill Club & Lodge
NBC Sports Group / WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship Airtimes
Wednesday
|
Noon-6 p.m. ET
|
32 Matches
|
Golf Channel
|
Thursday
|
1-6 p.m. ET
|
16 Matches
|
Golf Channel
|
Friday
|
2-6 p.m. ET
|
Eight Matches
|
Golf Channel
|
Friday
|
10:30-11:30 p.m. ET
|
State of the Game
|
Golf Channel
|
Saturday
|
Noon-2 p.m. ET
|
Quarterfinal Matches
|
Golf Channel
|
Saturday
|
2-6 p.m. ET
|
Quarterfinal Matches
|
NBC
|
Sunday
|
9 a.m.-1 p.m. ET
|
Semifinal Matches
|
Golf Channel
|
Sunday
|
2-6 p.m. ET
|
Championship Match
|
NBC
|
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