Discovery, PGA building the ‘Netflix’ of golf in rights deal
Discovery Inc., the owner cable channels TLC, Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel, has signed a $2 billion deal with the PGA Tour for international television rights, CEO David Zaslav told FOX Business on Monday.
“The PGA tour is content that people will pay for,” Zaslav told Neil Cavuto on “Cavuto: Coast-to-Coast.” “What we have a chance to do … is build a golf Netflix product and we think that could be massive.”
As part of the 12-year partnership, which begins in 2019, Discovery would get media rights in 220 markets and territories, including tournaments such as The Players Championship, the FedExCup Playoffs and the President’s Cup.
They also plan to create a new subscription streaming service, centered around golf, later this year.
“This is truly a global game,” added PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. “We feel like we are at a point in time where we can really accelerate our desire to diversify and grow our fan base as well as accelerate the growth of this great game.”
Discovery, who also owns Eurosport, made a long-term deal in 2015 with the International Olympic Committee for exclusive rights to Olympic content in Europe.