When Golf TV Broadcasters Get it Wrong

View From The Fairway by Derek Clements

At his press conference ahead of the Players Championship, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan spoke of special moments like the one Russell Henley provided in winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

It is a shame then that NBC, who provided the worldwide pictures for the tournament, did not seem to get that message.

The crucial moment in the final round came at the 16th hole when Henley holed a chip from thick rough for a dramatic eagle that effectively sewed up the title. 

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Anybody who knows anything about golf would have realised that the American’s upcoming shot was crucial. He was in contention for the biggest win of his career, going head to head with Collin Morikawa, who faced a birdie putt.

So why on earth was it deemed to be acceptable for the broadcaster to go to yet another commercial break while Henley was eyeing up his third shot? We came back after Henley had made contact, just in time to see the ball rolling towards the hole before disappearing from sight.

I totally get that advertisers call the tune. But surely some common sense should have prevailed. Somebody, somewhere in a booth made the decision that it was fine to cut away from the action at that precise moment.

I despair, I really do. 

Remember that the PGA Tour has been battling against plunging TV ratings. In fact, professional golf as a whole is struggling to attract and keep viewers. 

Of course, one of the reasons we have all cited for this is slow play. But I know from my own experience of watching golf on TV and from speaking to fellow golfers that part of the problem is also the way that the TV companies cover our sport.  

I have a lot of time for Monahan. He has had to face some huge challenges over the past three years and, in the most part, has dealt with them all pretty well. But I couldn’t help but feel that he seemed a trifle complacent when he faced the world’s media.

He knows the importance of getting TV coverage right and I cannot believe that he does not have some sort of say when it comes to the way pictures are beamed into our homes.

Can you imagine watching the Champions League final and seeing a penalty being awarded and the commentator announcing: "We are just going to take a short break. We will be right back."

Or Novak Djokovic having a break point to set up victory in the men’s singles final at Wimbledon and the TV director deciding to go to a commercial break. It just wouldn’t happen.

I accept that we need to live with ad breaks. I hate it, but I accept it. But surely some common sense must prevail. If the people behind the broadcasts have any knowledge of our sport at all they must surely know when the time is right to break away. And if they don’t have an understanding of the game then why on earth are they there?

It is not the first time this has happened. And I am sure it will not be the last.

You will be aware that The Masters is just around the corner. And I cannot wait. Yes, of course part of the reason for that is because it’s The Masters, it is Augusta National, it is a work of art, it is the first major of the season, and it is yet another chance for Rory McIlroy to achieve the career grand slam.

However, there is also another reason. The men in green jackets are extremely protective of their tournament - and the way that it is covered by the broadcasters. Have you ever wondered why there are fewer commercial breaks at The Masters than at any other professional golf tournament? It is because the powers-that-be at Augusta dictate the number of breaks that can happen and the length of time they take.

You don’t need me to tell you that much of the week-to-week TV coverage is yawn-inducing. So yes, Jay, there are special moments, many of them. But the time has come to pull your finger out and make sure that the broadcasters also appreciate that. Continuing failure to do so will result in only one thing - an ongoing fall in viewing figures, and that is something the PGA Tour cannot live with. 

And here is the rub - falling viewing figures will result in blue-chip advertisers walking away from the game. We just need to get the balance right. 

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