New Media and the PGA Tour
From Baruchnewmedia
New Media and the PGA Tour
by David Lu
As technology has been upgrading, a variety of sports are integrating new media technology into their websites to be able to let fans have a better experience. The PGA TOUR and Turner Sports New Media uses PGATOUR.com, the exclusive online destination for LIVE@ and real-time scoring. Last year they started using a three-channel broadband player for the popular LIVE@ franchise, giving fans unprecedented broadband video access to spectacular signature par-3 holes from some of the most scenic golf courses and tournaments.
LIVE@ coverage, now powered by CNN Pipeline technology, began on Feb. 8-11 with approximately 35 hours of live, broadcast-quality coverage of the famous par-3 7th hole at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, from Pebble Beach Golf Links in California.
The LIVE@ series has covered many of the bigger golf tournaments, including the eighth annual broadcast of LIVE@17 from THE PLAYERS Championship, the PGA of America's 2007 PGA Championship, and all four events in the first ever PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.
As an enhanced feature of the LIVE@ series, viewers have the ability to select from three distinct video streams, each showcasing a different aspect of tournament coverage. The first video stream (Pipe No. 1) brings PGATOUR.com visitors up close to every shot by every player at the tournament's signature par-3 hole. The second stream (Pipe No. 2), Inside the Ropes, gives visitors front-row seats to tournament press conferences as well as course flyovers, tournament highlights, player profiles and pre-recorded content. TNT golf announcers Billy Kratzert and Jim Huber, as well as PGATOUR.com contributor Brian Katrek, guide viewers through the action on Pipe 1 and 2. The final video stream (Pipe No. 3) will spotlight the PGA Learning Center and provide exclusive tips from PGA of America teaching professionals and many of the sport's top names.
PGATOUR.com has been a leader in live on-line tournament coverage beginning in 2000 with the first Live@ 17 broadcast from THE PLAYERS. Turner Sports first introduced its CNN Powered Pipeline broadband player for online golf coverage in 2006 with the PGA.com Pipeline for the 2006 PGA Championship. The PGA.com Pipeline debut generated a single day traffic record of 11 million page views and over 412,000 unique users for the first round of coverage on the Turner managed site. The LIVE@ series, which is ad-supported and offered free of charge, is co-produced by the PGA TOUR and Turner Sports New Media.
This method that the PGA Tour uses is a great way to give fans a interactive experience.
--Dlnewmedia 02:37, 24 November 2008 (CST)
References
[1] PGA TOUR, Turner Sports New Media introduce LIVE@ franchise
New Media and Golf
With technology advancing practically every day, changes to the rules of golf were bound to happen. Laser guided yard finders have been around for a while and help players work out the correct yardage for the shot they intend to play. Unfortunately they could only be used in practice and not in competition. When the more recent GPS yardage system arrived on the scene, it too was deemed an advantage, and therefore not permitted in competition play. Recently, the USGA changed the rule which will now allow golfers to use GPS whilst playing in competition. The hope that by doing so, it will speed up play dramatically.
Now that this has happened, companies are producing more advanced systems which will allow the golfers to record every shot they play. They can then upload their scores onto the computer and analysis their performance. One company, Callaway has even come up with a system that will show you satellite images of the hole you are playing. Using a computer, you can download new golf courses which are being added on all the time. Some golf clubs now require players to enter their score onto the computer so that they can keep track of them as this will allow players to analyze their performance. Yet, technology in golf is about to take a step back as new technology in golf clubs and golf balls seems to be damaging the game. However, the technology used for distance purposes can only get better as new technology allows for greater accuracy.
