Golf Channel
| Golf Channel | |
|---|---|
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| Launched | January 17, 1995 in Birmingham, Alabama |
| Owned by | NBCUniversal |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
| Headquarters | Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Sister channel(s) | NBC Sports Network NBC Sports Comcast SportsNet |
| Website | golfchannel.com |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Astro (Malaysia) | Channel 815 (SD) Channel 835 (HD) |
| DirecTV (U.S.) | Channel 218 (SD/HD) Channel 1218 (VOD) |
| DISH Network (U.S.) | Channel 401 (SD/HD) |
| SKY México | Channel 528 (Mexico) |
| DishHD (Taiwan) | Channel 6360 (HD) |
| SKY Brasil | Channel 26 |
| Cable | |
| Available on many US/Canada cable systems | Check local listings for channels |
| Verizon FiOS | Channel 304 (SD) Channel 593 (HD) |
| StarHub TV Singapore | Channel 213 (SD) |
| UPC Czech Republic | Check local listings for channels |
| IPTV | |
| TELUS TV (Canada) | Channel 116 (SD) Channel 668 (HD) Channel 656 (3D) |
| Bell Fibe TV (Canada) | Channel 416 (SD) Channel 1415 (HD) |
| AT&T U-verse (U.S.) | Channel 641 (SD) Channel 1641 (HD) |
Golf Channel, known as The Golf Channel before the July 2008 dropping of The, is an American cable television network with coverage focused on the game of golf. Founded in Birmingham, Alabama, the American headquarters and studio are currently located in Orlando, Florida. Golf Channel is available in the United States, Canada a few nations in Asia and Latin America through cable, satellite, and wireless transmissions. Worldwide, it is available in over 100 million households.
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[edit] History and programming
The network was launched on January 17, 1995.[1] The idea of a 24-hour-a-day golf network came from media entrepreneur Joseph E. Gibbs of Birmingham, Alabama, who first acquired the thought of such a concept in 1991. Gibbs felt there was enough interest in golf among the public to support such a network, and commissioned a Gallup Poll to see if his instincts were correct. With the support of the polling behind him, Gibbs and legendary golfer Arnold Palmer then secured $80 million in financing to launch the network, which was among the first cable networks developed to cover one singular sport. The first live tournament the channel televised was the Dubai Desert Classic, held from January 19-22, 1995.
Golf Channel features a range of golf programming, including PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA Tour, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour events. The channel devotes considerable time to news coverage of golf, including a nightly program, Golf Central. There are highlight shows of past tournaments, and a reality television competition show, The Big Break, whose premise is to help aspiring professionals gain exemptions into PGA Tour and LPGA events. In 2005, Golf Channel helped set up a special match play event called Big Stakes Golf, in which teams of two paid a $100,000 entry fee to play in a special tournament where the winning team split a $3,000,000 first-place prize, the largest in golf history. In the end, mini-tour professionals Garth Mulroy and David Ping won the grand prize.
In 2007, Golf Channel embarked on its 15-year agreement as the exclusive cable television home for the PGA Tour. The network’s annual coverage will feature early-round coverage of the entire FedEx Cup season, including the World Golf Championships, The Tour Championship and The Players Championship, the PGA Tour’s crown jewel. In total, early-round coverage of 30 events will air on Golf Channel. Also included in the package will be 13 full, four-round events beginning with the season’s first three tournaments – SBS Championship, Sony Open in Hawaii, and the Bob Hope Classic – and the five official money events following The Tour Championship. The network also will provide full coverage of three tournaments played opposite golf’s majors and World Golf Championships. Every PGA Tour event will be aired live and then rebroadcast in prime time, a first for the PGA Tour.
In January 2011, Comcast, owners of Golf Channel, acquired GE's majority stake in NBC Universal. As part of the acquisition, Comcast's sports networks began to be restructured and merged with the existing NBC Sports division. As a part of these changes, NBC Sports' senior vice president Mike McCarley became the new head of Golf Channel.[2] Additionally, NBC Sports personalities would begin to appear on Golf Channel's PGA coverage in February 2011, and Golf Channel itself would take over production of NBC's existing golf telecasts under the new name Golf Channel on NBC.[3] This merger is reflected in the Golf Channel's current logo, featuring the NBC Peacock.
[edit] High definition
Golf Channel launched its 1080i high definition simulcast in January 2007. However, in some areas, the feed shared airtime based on programming priority with sister channel Versus (now NBC Sports Network) on a combined channel known as VS/Golf HD. Individual HD feeds for both networks were officially launched on December 8, 2008.
[edit] Golf Channel UK
There was a British version of the channel called Golf Channel UK for a time. It was operated by sporting goods retailer JJB Sports, and was available on BSkyB satellite television. It broadcast many of the shows from the U.S. channel, but was unable to attract a viable audience as it offered little live golf, and it ceased broadcasting on 31 December 2007. All the major tours have their main UK contract with either Sky Sports or Setanta Golf, and BBC Sport covers several major tournaments each year.
[edit] Programs
Tournament coverage
- Champions Tour, played at various venues in the United States, Canada and South Korea.
- European Tour, played at various venues throughout Europe.
- LPGA Tour, played at various venues worldwide.
- Nationwide Tour, played at venues in the United States, Mexico, Panama and Colombia.
- PGA Tour, played at various venues in the United States and worldwide.
News and analysis
- Golf Central
- Grey Goose 19th Hole
- Morning Drive
Entertainment
- Donald J. Trump's Fabulous World Of Golf
- Feherty
- Golf In America
- Golf's Amazing Videos
- Pipe Dream
- Big Break
- The Haney Project
- Top 10
Instruction
- Champions Tour Learning Center
- Golf Fitness Academy
- Playing Lessons
- School Of Golf
- The Golf Fix
Travel
- GolfNow
[edit] On-air staff
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Winfrey, Lee. "Golf Channel tees off Tuesday, joining History Channel as new cable fare", Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, January 16, 1995. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from HighBeam Research.
- ^ Renyolds, Mike. "McCarley To Head Golf Channel, Davis Out At Versus In NBC Sports Group Reorg: Sources". Multichannel News. http://www.multichannel.com/article/463313-McCarley_To_Head_Golf_Channel_Davis_Out_At_Versus_In_NBC_Sports_Group_Reorg_Sources.php. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
- ^ Williams, Jim. "Jim Williams: Golf coverage has new look". Washington Examiner. http://washingtonexaminer.com/sports/golf/2011/02/jim-williams-golf-coverage-has-new-look.
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- Comcast Corporation
- Golf Channel
- Golf in the United States
- Golf on television
- English-language television stations in the United States
- NBC Universal
- NBC Universal networks
- NBC Sports
- Television channels and stations established in 1995
- Companies based in Florida
- Sports television networks in the United States
