Category Archives: Golf

Big day for Bleacher Report founders: Turner buys site for $175 million

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For all the millions of people who never make a dime off their site, there are the select few who hit it big. As in winning the lottery big.

Monday, the founders of the Bleacher Report cashed their ticket. Turner Sports bought the site for a reported $175 million.

Bleacher Report was founded in 2006 by four 20-somethings as an outlet for fans to discuss their favorite teams. From the San Jose Mercury News:

Within months, the site became a hit thanks to a legion of contributors willing to write about sports for free.

“Most of our contributors aren’t professional journalists. They’re lawyers by day, Giants fans by night,” CEO Brian Grey described in an interview last year.

Writing about sports for free? Wonder who in the world would do that?

OK, enough about me.

Turner needed a sports presence after SI.com shift over to Time Inc. From the release:

 

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. has acquired Bleacher Report (B/R), one of the fastest-growing sports digital properties on the Internet, it was announced today by David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports of Turner Broadcasting. San Francisco-based B/R (http://www.bleacherreport.com) and its popular mobile offerings will now operate as part of the Turner Sports division.

 

B/R delivers original and entertaining sports editorial content and is a leading sports media destination, delivering over 10 million monthly unique visitors. The company has developed a next-generation publishing model powered by an expanding base of passionate and knowledgeable contributors who deliver high-quality content that readers crave at the team and topic level.

 

“Bleacher Report is a strategic acquisition that further enhances Turner’s portfolio of sports offerings, as well as reflects our continuing commitment to bring fans greater content across all screens throughout the entire year,” said Levy. “As brand builders and content providers, we were attracted to Bleacher Report’s fast growth to a leading marketplace position and a valued consumer destination. The site will continue to innovate and provide users and sports fans with branded news and information. With our expansive digital rights and resources, Turner will further ensure Bleacher Report’s continued growth and success.”

 

Levy added, “With the acquisition of Bleacher Report, we have added another dimension to our portfolio of digital and mobile properties that will enable us to offer our advertising partners integrated opportunities across all screens and demos that will enhance our ability to monetize sports programming throughout the entire year.”

 

“Bleacher Report was created to put fans first, and we are excited to integrate our innovative content publishing model and engaging multi-platform consumer digital media experience within Turner Sports’ world-class television and digital content portfolio,” said Brian Grey, in his newly-expanded role as chief executive officer, Bleacher Report & senior vice president, Turner Sports. “Together the portfolio will define how content creators, consumers and marketers come together around the sports team and topic content experience that fans will consume across every screen.”

 

Turner Sports currently manages digital properties on behalf of the NBA, NCAA and PGA, oversees ad sales for NASCAR.COM and has a strategic sales relationship with Yahoo! Sports. B/R will complement a preeminent collection of brands within the Turner Digital portfolio spanning entertainment, sports, kids, news and comedy destinations across broadband, mobile and tablet. The Turner Digital portfolio currently reaches 86 million unique visitors a month.

 

In addition to its digital portfolio, Turner Sports broadcasts a number of events year-round on TBS, TNT and truTV, including the NBA, MLB, NASCAR, the PGA Championship and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Its on-air roster of announcers and analysts includes Marv Albert, Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Reggie Miller, Steve Kerr, Shaquille O’Neal, Cal Ripken, Dennis Eckersley, John Smoltz, Ron Darling, David Wells and Kyle Petty, among others.

 

Grey will continue to oversee B/R’s day-to-day operations out of its San Francisco offices and will report directly to Lenny Daniels, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Turner Sports.  Together, Grey and Matt Hong, senior vice president and general manager of operations for Turner Sports, will partner in the overall management and integration of the Bleacher Report operations into the Turner Sports portfolio.

 

 

ESPN happy to put own stamp on British Open; legendary Alliss returns

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It’s been five years since I covered my last British Open. And I truly miss it, more so than anything else I covered in 27 years at the Chicago Tribune.

I loved everything about being over for the Open Championship (the proper name). There’s nothing like quirkiness of links golf. In fact, everything about the experience was quirky; from the food (yes to brown sauce) to the ridiculously small showers to summer temperatures in the 40s and 50s with a damp chill that goes right through you.

I’ll definitely be watching ESPN’s coverage, although I can’t say I’ll be awake for the opening shot Thursday. Network coverage begins at 4:30 a.m. (ET), meaning night owls on the West Coast can tune before they go to sleep.

In previous years, ESPN and ABC had to rely mainly on the BBC for its coverage. Again, think quirky, as the BBC pace is much slower.

Mike Tirico likened the experience to “playing with rented clubs.” If you’re a golfer, you know what that means.

However, ESPN has had its own cameras in place since 2009; the BBC will be available to supplement anything that gets missed. It has made a huge difference in the production.

I had a chance to talk to Mike McQuade, ESPN’s vice-president for event production, about covering the tournament and having 81-year-old legend Peter Alliss back as a contributor.

On the difference between ESPN and BBC coverage:

We cover golf differently than the way the BBC does it, from where the camera angles are to the storylines. It’s an American broadcast. It moves quicker. The big difference will be on Thursday and Friday. There are so many more storylines. While they might want to focus on some Englishman trying to make the cut, we’d rather focus on Phil Mickelson.

On the difference between covering a PGA Tour event in the states and a British Open:

Besides the fact that when it rains everyone is wearing a black rain suit and a hat and you can’t tell anybody from anybody, that’s a big problem.

The wind is always an issue.  Trying to follow the ball in conditions like that is an issue.  Telling Andy North he’s got to walk in the rain for eight hours could be an issue.

I think at this point we’re sort of used to that.  I think the one thing that we’ve tried to do to sort of overcome all of this is this Flight Tracker that we’ve used the last couple of years, and this year I think it’s on six different holes, that really allows the viewer to ‑‑ if the skies are gray and it is tough to follow a ball in gray and white skies, the tracker will at least give you a sense of where the ball is headed and the direction it’s going in.

On Peter Alliss being part of the telecast:

In our mind, he symbolizes the Open Championship. He’s been a part of it for the better part of 60 years. When you have someone that iconic, it goes without saying you take advantage of it. He offers perspective and insights that I think our guys may not be as quick to grasp on to. That’s a good thing. It makes us better.

Here’s Andy North on Alliss.

Peter is one of those few individuals that you come across in life that if you open up the New York telephone book and had him read six or seven pages you’d be enthralled by it.  He is one of those gifted people that is so much fun to be around, and Curtis (Strange) and I have the great opportunity to work the week following the Open Championship at the Senior British Open Championship.  It is a riot.

 

 

 

 

Golf: Woods didn’t appreciate constant questions about his game; Sorenstam says slow play hurting golf on TV

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Now that Tiger Woods is back on top (with the exception of not winning a major since 2008), he likely won’t be hearing as many questions about the state of his game.

It doesn’t take much to annoy Woods. He admitted this week he didn’t enjoy questions from those pesky reporters asking why he no longer resembled Tiger Woods on the course during last two-plus years.

“I have to deal with it in every single press conference,” he said. “I have to  answer it in post-round interviews—whether it’s with you guys or in a live shot  [on TV]. You do that for a couple of years, sometimes you guys can be a little annoying.”

If anything, Woods used all the negative stories as motivation, according to his good friend Notah Begay. Appearing on the Golf Channel’s Morning Drive, Begay said:

He doesn’t forget what people write. He probably has a list under his pillow that motivates him at night.

Indeed, from what I’ve heard, few players are more possessed about what’s written about them than Woods.

As for those pesky questions about his game, they won’t go away entirely. The British Open is in a couple of weeks. He’s going to hear plenty of questions along the lines of, “Tiger, why can’t you win in majors anymore?”

******

I’m still amazed that the leaders of the PGA and LPGA Tour aren’t doing more to curb slow play. The snail’s pace is making the sport absolutely dreadful to watch on TV.

The slow-play problem came up Wednesday during a Golf Channel State of the Game show prior to the U.S. Women’s Open. Host Rich Lerner asked Annika Sorenstam why it is an important issue? Sorenstam said:

I think for a lot of reasons.  You watch golf on TV, and it’s very slow.  It’s not moving.  I know that a lot of golfers are leaving the game because it takes too long to play.  I think as a professional we need to be role models and we need to show them you can play, and I think it’s hurting the game, I really do.

NBC’s Dottie Pepper, who also appeared on the telecast, is in favor of stroke penalties being assessed for slow play. She said:

In my mind it’s the thing that hurts most.  It’s the one thing that really gets you, it’s not in your pocket, it’s on your scorecard.

All I can say is that something needs to be done about slow play. And fast.

 

 

 

 

Golf ratings up 188 percent Sunday: Wonder if a certain golfer won?

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The Tiger Woods factor strikes again. From CBS:

CBS Sports’ final-round coverage of the AT&T NATIONAL on Sunday, July 1 (3:00-6:45 PM, ET), which saw Tiger Woods win his third PGA TOUR event this season and pass Jack Nicklaus with 74 PGA TOUR wins, delivered an average overnight household rating/share of 4.6/10, up 188% from last year’s 1.6/4 in the metered markets. (Note:  Ratings for Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Baltimore and Columbus are excluded due to severe weather).

This year’s rating tied with 2009 as the highest rating for the final-round since the tournament debuted in 2007.

 Sunday’s final-round rating peaked at a 6.8/14 (6:30-6:45 PM,)

 

And in a rarity, Woods is playing in back-to-back events. He is in the field in the Greenbriar Classic. Last year, Scott Stallings (who?) won.

If Woods is in the hunt again on Sunday, look for another 188 percent, and then some.

 

 

Ratings report: Despite Tiger struggles, U.S. Open still up; another big number for Game 3

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Ah, what might have been for NBC and the U.S. Open. Imagine the rating if Tiger Woods actually had resembled Tiger Woods Sunday. Instead, his brutal start had him on the missing person’s report during the meat of the coverage.

As a result, we got a heavy dose of the plodding Jim Furyk and a U.S. Open where par was indeed a good score. It didn’t necessarily add up to compelling golf, but thanks to the primetime window, people still tuned in.

The numbers from NBC:

Sunday’s 6.5-hour (4-10:30 p.m. ET) final-round coverage of the U.S. Open on NBC delivered an 6.6 rating and 13 share, up 29% vs. last year (5.1/12).

The combined Saturday-Sunday overnight was a 6.1/13, up 39 % vs. last year (4.4/11) and the best since 2008 (6.8/15).

Despite competition from the NBA Finals, the rating increased every half hour from 8:30 p.m. ET on, peaking at an 8.1 from 10-10:30 p.m. ET. From 7 p.m. ET on, the rating never dipped below a 6.9.

Yes, there was a finals game last night. Another big number for game 3 on ABC.

From ESPN:

Through three games, the 2012 NBA Finals on ABC – Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – is the highest-rated series since 2004 and the second highest-rated ever on ABC based on overnight ratings, according to Nielsen. The Finals is averaging an 11.3 overnight rating, up 5 percent from a 10.8 last year (Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat).

NBA Finals Game 3 – Miami defeated Oklahoma City 91-85 – generated a 10.4 overnight rating, peaking with a 14.7 rating from 10:30 to 10:45 p.m. ET. The game generated a 41.9 rating in Oklahoma City and a 29.6 rating in Miami.

 

 

Still a Johnny Miller fan even if people are getting tired of act

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I’ve always had Johnny Miller on my list of must-watch analysts. By that I mean, if Miller is doing analysis of the Springfield Putt-Putt Championship, I’m watching.

He’s going through Lincoln’s hat? You’ve got to be kidding me.

However, after more than 20 years of Miller being the voice of golf for NBC, I’m sensing some fatigue. People are starting to grow tired of his act.

John Strege of Golfdigest.com did a post Saturday noting some negative comments about Miller via Twitter. Here’s a passage:

NBC’s Johnny Miller was eviscerated in the Twitter world throughout the  telecast of the third round, criticism coming from all quarters — fans,  players, counterparts, even a player’s wife.

“How does Johnny Miller have a job when he speaks such nonsense???” Geoff  Ogilvy’s wife Juli wrote on Twitter.

Peter Kostis, a CBS analyst, posted this when Miller called Graeme McDowell  “a driving genius,” who then drove it into the trees: “He’s a driving genius!  Whack, club hits ball, whack, ball hits tree, oops.”

Colt Knost, who missed the cut, weighed in: “According to Johnny miller every  bad shot is BC of nerves!!  There is such a thing as a bad swing. Sorry for  being human”

Then this from Tommy Biershenk, who must have missed Chris Berman’s inane  play on his name the day before, something to do with beer and shank: “Am I the  only one that can do without Johnny Miller? #Mr.Negative.”

I found these anti-Miller Tweets from Sunday.

griffin_flesch8 JohnnyMiller could shoot -18 around Olympic right now from the tips if he wanted to

DanLevyThinks “You have no idea how good that feels, folks.” JohnnyMiller ONCE AGAIN makes it about him.

KegsnEggs JohnnyMiller on winning the US Open: “I’d tell you how good it feels, but you peasants wouldn’t understand.”

@jenny_suh JohnnyMiller is such a great commentator ~ said nobody, EVER!

BKleinGolfweek JohnnyMiller picks on a teen to criticize, taking Beau Hossler to task for over-reaching his goals. Nice going on Fathers Day, Johnny.

Joe Posnanski‏@JPosnanski Nobody ever seems to make the one JohnnyMiller calls “an easy putt.”

Not sure what to make of the reaction other than people simply get tired of hearing the same voice for so many years. In the eyes of his critics, Miller has veered off the road of being refreshingly candid.

I’m still in his camp. I love his candor and his unpredictable say-anything nature.

Here’s Johnny from yesterday’s telecast:

“Phil and Tiger look like they’ve turned back the clock to when they were about five (years old).” On the struggles of Mickelson and Woods.

“That is so dead. That is incredibly dead. That is the end of his chances.” On Padraig Harrington’s approach shot on 18, which landed buried in a bunker left of the green. Harrington was +2 at the time.

“I don’t know what the heck he is reading there.” On Graeme McDowell’s final putt on 18 which would have tied him with Webb Simpson and forced a playoff.

“He just fell apart is what it amounts to, at 42 years old and wanting it so badly…You’ve got to feel for him. He sure deserves to win because he works so hard in every aspect.” On Jim Furyk’s approach shot on No. 18 that went into the left bunker.

It still works for me.

The bottom line for Miller is that he turned 65 in April. I don’t see him doing this job forever. He has other interests.

So we also should enjoy Miller while we can. There never will be another like him.

 

 

 

 

The decision: Game 3 or U.S. Open tonight? Tiger or LeBron?

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So what are you watching tonight? Game 3 of the NBA Finals or the final round of the U.S. Open?

We have been handed this delicious Father’s Day bounty thanks to the Open being in San Francisco.

In a brilliant decision beginning with the 2010 tournament at Pebble Beach, NBC decided to air these West Coast Opens in prime time. The last group of Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell goes off at 6:10 p.m ET. That means the final putt won’t go down until 10:30-11 p.m. ET.

I love it, and so many other golf fans. Nothing like enjoying a beautiful day and then coming home to watch some big-time golf.

But there’s more. Also on the menu is Game 3 of the NBA Finals airing on ABC. Big game to see if LeBron James and the Heat can take control of the series at home.

The first two games have done huge ratings, and they only will get bigger.

For NBC’s sake, it would help if Tiger Woods gets back into the hunt quickly in the fourth round. He tees off at 4:50 p.m. If he makes a charge, people will tune in, especially the casual and even non-golf fan.

Either way, it should be a great night. My remote is in for a workout.

 

 

Despite Chris Berman, ESPN does highest ratings for U.S. Open coverage

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Good news for ESPN’s coverage of the British Open. No Chris Berman.

As for the U.S. Open, viewers once again had to endure Berman’s misplaced presence on the telecast. He shouldn’t be doing golf, period.

Awfulannouncing.com had some Berman bashing from viewers via Twitter. Then there was this line from the New York Post’s Phil Mushnick.

Allowing ESPN’s Chris Berman to call golf’s U.S. Open is like giving the Class Clown a jumbo can of Silly String.

As for the ratings, ESPN clearly got a big boost from Tiger Woods and primetime viewing in most of the country thanks to a West Coast Open.

From the release:

ESPN’s prime time coverage of the second round of the 112th U.S. Open on Friday, June 15, earned the network’s highest rating and largest audience ever for a regular round of play in the event.

The telecast from 5-10 p.m. ET averaged 3.6 million viewers and a 2.9 household coverage rating, according to the Nielsen Company. The audience was the fifth-largest ever for a golf telecast on cable.

ESPN’s live telecast of earlier U.S. Open play on Friday from noon – 3 p.m. ET earned a 1.5 household coverage rating, averaging 1.6 million viewers.

Thursday’s U.S. Open first round telecast from noon – 3 p.m. on ESPN earned a 1.6 household coverage rating, averaging 1.6 million viewers, while the 5-10 p.m. telecast had a 1.5 rating with 1.7 million viewers. Both telecasts were up in viewership and ratings from the 2011 U.S. Open, which was held in Bethesda, Md., and aired earlier in the day.

ESPN’s largest audience ever for any U.S. Open telecast was a Monday playoff in 2008 with 4.2 rating and 4.8 million viewers.

 

Has it been 50 years? NBC documentary looks back at Nicklaus’ first major

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Every record starts with one. For Jack Nicklaus, major No. 1 occurred 50 years ago with his victory in the 1962 U.S. Open. His 18-hole playoff win over Arnold Palmer launched one of sports’ greatest rivalries.

NBC will revisit that Open with a new documentary, 1962 U.S. Open: Jack’s First Major (Sunday, 2 p.m. ET). The USGA film was produced in collaboration with the USGA Museum and Ross Greenburg Productions. If Greenburg was involved, you know it has to be good.

Here’s the trailer:

In the USGA release, Nicklaus talked of the documentary and winning the first of his 18 majors.

“I have never been one to reflect on past achievements, but this production allowed me the opportunity to look back on and relive a very significant part of my life and career,” Nicklaus said. “To the credit of the USGA Museum and Ross Greenburg Production, their combined research was evident in the interview process. They covered aspects of that U.S. Open that I haven’t thought of in close to 50 years. For example, they unearthed letters exchanged after that U.S. Open between my father and my childhood idol Bob Jones.”

“At that time in 1962, I was a 22-year-old kid with blinders on, focusing on the task at hand which was winning my first professional tournament and our national championship,” added Nicklaus. “Fifty years later, it was nice to take the blinders off and think about all the elements that made for such a meaningful week in my life.”

A surprise: Duval to work U.S. Open for ESPN

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I can safely say I never envisioned the often reticent David Duval wanting a career in television.

Apparently, that’s the case. The former No. 1 player in the world will be part of ESPN’s broadcast team for the U.S. Open.

From the release:

Duval, winner of 13 events and more than $18 million on the PGA TOUR, will be an analyst on feature group coverage that will air on ESPN3, ESPN’s multi-screen live sports network. The programming is available online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and through ESPN on Xbox LIVE.

“TV is definitely something that’s interesting and intrigues me,” said Duval. “I enjoy the game so much and I enjoy what’s going on in the game right now so much. The opportunity to do this presented itself and it worked out, so I thought this could be pretty fun.”

Duval had intended to play in the U.S. Open but did not qualify and indicated his work for ESPN should not be viewed as a signal he’s hanging up the clubs for good.

“I don’t want it to be seen as a transition because I don’t believe my playing career is over,” he said. “I know I’ve had a rough year but I’ve also been dealing with other small injuries that I haven’t talked about. But it (TV) is definitely something I’d like to do in the future.”

Who knew? He’s definitely a complex dude. I found him to be arguably the most intelligent golfer I’ve covered, capable of delivering deep, thoughtful answers. However, he also could be painfully terse in interviews. I thought he found the entire process extremely tedious. Nobody will ever accuse him of being a quote machine.

Exactly how Duval’s personality will translate to television remains to be seen. Clearly, though, it is worth a try of both fronts.