Final Golf Channel Coverage Post Mortem

Now that their big three weeks are up and before we forget about Golf Channel's coverage, Golfobserver's Sal Johnson asks whether the public will perceive the telecasts "network quality," as had been promised. 

I thought a few of the gizmos and camera work was better than the network stuff, but for some reason they still felt like Golf Channel productions instead of networks.

Your thoughts? 

Comments

[J.T.]

By the time Comcast reaches 90 million homes with Golf Channel maybe they'll be able to pull a 1.0 rating. With .52 and an average so far of around 370,000 households per telecast Finchem has bet the house. If (when) this fails, and it certainly isn't showing any promising signs so far, Finchem may not be able to drag the big networks back into another negotiation. With the big networks having NASCAR and Professional Poker Tour pulling down big time ratings I only see golf dying a slow death on Golf Channel.

With only Tulsa watching Golf Channel how many drivers and golf balls will the city of Tulsa be willing to purchase?

[R. Thompson]

I have to be frank and honest. PGA Tour made their announcement about a Cup race in late 2005. It was Finchem grasping for air, the major networks telling him, "We can't afford you". That's not a strong brand Mr. Votaw, that's a weak one. Finchem looked like he'd stayed up for an entire week, without food or a shower, that's why his hair looked like it did and his sport coat appeared 3 sizes too large during his January of 06 press conference to announce the Tour's new TV rights deal. It was Fed Ex Cup this and that, points, "well we're still working on that", along with lot of innuendo. They touted their new 15-year deal with GOLF CHANNEL all year long by calling it their new home, and won't it be easy for 250,000 households to find us. They announced the playoffs only they couldn't tell anyone how the playoffs were going to work. They touted their new sponsor of the Fed Ex Cup, Fed Ex as being this huge new partner (because Finchem is desperate) and will brand that name as synonymous with their own. Fed Ex has St. Jude at $ 5.5 mil, throw in another $ 8 mil a year and for $ 13 mil you can be a partner with PGA Tour. Tiger should start the Buick Tour with 8 events, plus Majors, then head out into the global marketplace and brand his product in all the free world, minus Finchem. And so we come to Golf Channel's first three weeks where we found more of the old The Golf Channel than the new GOLF CHANNEL. For me it isn't hard to understand why people aren't watching Senior Tour telecasts or Nationwide Tour telecasts on GOLF CHANNEL, these telecasts are pitiful from a production standpoint not because of the golf. There is a lack of professionalism, a lack of authority, a lack of credibility in these telecasts that can't possibly capture an audience and hold on to it. This is the bottom line, what we've seen during the first three telecasts of PGA Tour golf is exactly why the major networks were telling Finchem in 2005 we can't afford your product anymore. It's not substantive Tim, it's not compelling Tim, it can't draw descent ratings to cover production Tim, is probably how it went down. Starting over, no, this isn't starting over; this is a giant brand heading down a mineshaft with Tim Finchem at the helm. Who's in his inner circle, I can't spot a single former player of PGA Tour? What does that say about the organization, about his leadership? The NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL all have former players working in the front office, coaching, training, marketing, managing and filling some capacity of the organization, not with Tim Finchem. This dingy marketing guru should just muck and be done with it. When Deane Beaman was Commissioner he understood the competition because he had been a competitor, that's the insight one needs and if he hasn't acquired that insight on his own, then he better damn well get some of those that have on his staff. That's where I believe the disconnect lies, why the Senior Tour is in shambles, and where he's driving the PGA Tour currently. The major networks didn't need a Fed Ex Cup; all they needed was a new Commissioner.

[BNW]

Second all that, especially the wide angle cameras Sal poins out. No close ups, no HD, no fun to watch. This isn't three steps backwards for televised PGA Tour golf, it's more like 20.

[tjrenolds]

Why all the evaluation on Golf Channel, they've been around since 1994 and progressed with the likes of Jerry Foltz. If bloggers are wondering why GOLF CHANNEL sux just study their track record, they started out in 1994 and have added two more cameras since then.

[JD]

OK -- so don't watch! Your attitudes are pathetic.

[RBS]

give the existing announcers 4 more weeks to figure out they're not doing a lead in for the 1988
US Open highlights, or an infomercial. Then fire them and hire network people.