ESPN said it acquired the U.S. rights to the new TGL team golf league being developed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Sports.

The deal involves a partnership among the PGA Tour, ESPN and TGL, which is presented by SoFi.

TGL action will appear on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Plus, starting with a preview show that will appear on ABC on December 30.

The first TGL match will air in primetime on ESPN and ESPN Plus on January 9.

“Innovation and creativity are core to our ESPN mission and TGL will bring those tenets to life for golf fans,” Rosalyn Durant, executive VP, programming and acquisitions at ESPN, said. “TGL is going to be a two-hour presentation unlike anything you have seen before. All players will wear live microphones and viewers will have unprecedented access during competition. It’s an exciting landscape for presenting golf and we look forward to bringing it to fans.”

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The league will consist of six teams of PGA Tour players. Matches will be played at SoFi Center in Palm Beach, Florida, on a virtual course paired with a “tech-infused” short-game complex. All players will be miked up. 

The first season will have 15 regular season matches, followed by semifinals and finals matches.

“We believe ESPN is the right home for TGL presented by SoFi and recognize the strategic benefits of Disney’s portfolio,” said Mike McCarley, a former NBC Sports exec who is now founder and CEO of TMRW Sports and TGL. “ESPN is often the first stop for sports fans, no matter the platform, and we’re honored by ESPN’s view that TGL complements their current offering of major league sports.

“ESPN has embraced the concept from our very first meeting and we’re looking forward to launching TGL in prime time on ESPN and bringing our teams of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars to their ESPN’s legion of sports fans,“ McCarley said. “The two-hour match format has been designed for today’s sports fan, as it’s rooted in the traditions of golf, but adds technical elements that are unique to a modern, sports-arena environment.“

This weekend's busy, live TV sports lineup starts on the soccer field with World Cup quarterfinals round action.

Fox on Saturday will televise live World Cup games between Morocco and Portugal, along with England versus France. The winners from the two games will meet in a December 14 semifinal matchup, with that winner qualifying for the World Cup finals against the winner of the December 13 semifinal game.

In the boxing ring, welterweight champion Terence Crawford on Saturday will step into the ring against David Avanesyan in a pay-per-view fight. Also on PPV, retired eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao will fight an exhibition bout against martial arts fighter DK Yoo.

ESPN Plus on Saturday will stream the Teofimo Lopez-Sandor Martin fight, while DAZN will carry the Josh Warrington-Luis Alberto Lopez featherweight championship bout.

Also: Manny Pacquiao, Terence Crawford Fights Round Out 2022 PPV Boxing Card

In the octagon, ESPN will distribute via PPV the UFC 282 mixed martial arts fight card featuring a main event light heavyweight championship bout between Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev.

ABC will air a Saturday primetime matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors in a rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals won by the Warriors.

On the links, TNT on Saturday will air its golf exhibition event The Match, featuring Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy facing Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. NBC and Golf Channel will offer weekend coverage of the PGA’s QBE Shootout event.

Also: TNT Turns Primetime Spotlight on 'The Match' Golf Event

Week 14 of the NFL season picks up Sunday with regional action on CBS and Fox, followed by NBC’s primetime Sunday Night Football contest between the Miami Dolphins and the Los Angeles Chargers. ■

Iconic pro golfer Tiger Woods heads up the lineup for TNT’s The Match charity golf event on Saturday (December 10), which will be played under the lights in primetime.

The network’s seventh iteration of the event from Florida -- which will also be simulcast on TBS, truTV and HLN -- pits pro golfers Woods and Rory McIlroy against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in a 12-hole exhibition event. The event marks Woods' return to The Match since appearing in 2020 and his first time since he suffered major leg injuries in a car crash in 2021. Woods also appeared in the inaugural The Match event in 2018.

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports US Executive VP and Chief Content Officer Craig Barry said Woods' return to The Match will help draw viewers to the telecast.

"People love to watch him and he hasn't swung the club in a while, so people are looking forward to him playing," he said. 

Also: Turner Sports Head Lenny Daniels Leaves Warner Bros. Discovery

Barry also said The Match's evening start time changes the dynamic of how the event is produced and viewed as the golfers will play under the lights for the first time. "There's a lot of access to the players during the event, so as the players are in the golf cart or when we’re talking to them on-air, we have to make sure that we can see them," he said. "Keeping them in the light is a really important part of the production process."

The Match event takes place during a busy television sports environment that includes the World Cup as well as the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and college basketball games. Nevertheless, Barry is bullish on the appeal of The Match to sports fans.

"There's always concerns about competition, but we feel the move to primetime helps to differentiate it," he said. "Also the [golf] audience is different, so we're confident that we've positioned it from a programming standpoint where this event can stand out."

Proceeds generated from a number of golf challenges the competitors will participate in throughout the event will benefit Hurricane Ian relief efforts, according to the network.

TNT will launch the event with a 30-minute roundtable discussion with Woods, McIlroy, Thomas and Spieth led by The Match host Brian Anderson. The Capital One The Match Pre-Match Show will then lead into the live competition, according to TNT.■

The weekend’s live sports TV lineup starts on the greens as NBC, Peacock and USA Network offer Saturday and Sunday coverage of The 150th Open Championship, also known as the British Open. While golf legend Tiger Woods did not make the tournament cut, other players such as Rory McIlroy, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson and Cameron Young will vie this weekend for top honors. 

USA Network will continue its weekend coverage of the Tour de France cycling tournament, while USA and NBC will offer weekend coverage of the USATF World Track and Field Championships =. 

On the soccer field, ABC, FS1 and ESPN on Sunday will air live MLS matches, and ESPN2 will air a UEFA European Women's Championship soccer match between Switzerland and the Netherlands. 

On the WNBA front, CBSSN on Saturday will televise the Chicago Sky-Dallas Wings game, while on Sunday ABC will televise the Las Vegas Aces-Connecticut Sun match and CBSSN will air the Indiana Fever-Seattle Storm contest.

Streaming service Peacock will offer a Sunday afternoon baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays. 

In the squared ring, DAZN on Saturday will offer a pay-per-view event featuring lightweights Ryan Garcia and Javier Fortuna. In the octagon, ABC on Saturday will televise a UFC Fight Night mixed martial arts card featuring a main event bout between featherweights Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriquez. ▪️

Tiger Woods’ return to PGA tournament competition leads this weekend’s list of televised sports events.

Woods is competing in this weekend’s Masters tournament less than 17 months after suffering severe leg injuries in a horrific car crash. The tournament, which airs live on CBS, is the first major PGA event for Woods since playing in the 2020 Masters tournament.

Also: Tiger Woods' Comeback Gives ESPN Masters Coverage 21% Boost in Viewers

On the diamond, Major League Baseball’s opening weekend showcases five live games on MLB Network, concluding with ESPN’s first Sunday Night Baseball telecast featuring a game between heated rivals the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. 

In the ring, DAZN will feature the International Boxing Federation middleweight title fight between champion Gennady Golovkin and challenger Ryota Murata. Showtime will feature a main event bout between junior middleweights Erickson Lubin and Sebastian Fundora. 

ESPN Plus will enter the octagon Saturday with the UFC 273 pay-per-view event featuring a main event featherweight championship matchup between titleholder Alexander Volkanovski and Chan Sung Jung.

On the ice, ABC Saturday will air the Washington Capitals-Pittsburgh Penguins NHL game, while on Sunday TNT will air a doubleheader featuring the Boston Bruins-Washington Capitals and the Nashville Predators-Penguins game. 

The NBA enters the final weekend of its regular season with Sunday games on ESPN (Indiana Pacers-Brooklyn Nets) and TNT (Boston Bruins-Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors-New Orleans Pelicans.)

USA, NBC and Peacock will feature more than nine Premier League games combined on Saturday and Sunday. ESPN and FS1 will feature Major League Soccer games over the weekend. NBC will feature the IndyCar Grand Prix of Long Beach auto race. ■    

Tiger Woods’ comeback from injury to play in the Masters golf tournament on Thursday gave ESPN’s coverage a 21% increase in viewership from last year.

ESPN’s telecast averaged 2.8 million viewers, peaking between 4:15 p.m. and 4:29 p.m. when Woods played his final hole of the round.

Woods finished the first day of competition one under par. Wood was severely injured in a car accident last year.

The Masters also generated the most viewed day of golf on ESPN Plus, ESPN said. 

Viewership also grew for SportsCenter at the Masters, which ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m on Thursday leading into the network’s live coverage. The program averaged 801,000 viewers, with an average of 1.2 million between 2-3 p.m. Viewership was up 149% over 2021 and 120% over 2019. ■

Golf legend Tiger Woods expects to play at the Masters golf tournament this weekend, more than a year after a serious car accident threatened to end his career.

Woods announced his intentions to play in the prestigious tournament Tuesday during a press conference for the event, which begins on Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club. Woods hasn’t played in a major pro tournament since suffering severe leg injuries in a February 2021 car crash. Woods has also suffered from debilitating back injuries throughout the latter part of his illustrious career, in which he has won the Masters five times. 

The last PGA Major tournament Woods played in was the November 2020 Masters tournament.

Woods, who this past December played with his son Charlie at the PNC Championship celebrity/family golf tournament, said during the conference that he would practice on Wednesday before making a final decision about competing in the tournament. 

Also: ESPN Extends Deal with NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski

ESPN and ESPN Plus will offer full coverage of the Masters tournament beginning Thursday with first-round coverage. Below is ESPN’s Masters TV schedule through Friday: 

Tuesday, April 5

Noon-2 p.m.

Tuesday at the Masters on ESPN+ 

Wednesday, April 6

10 a.m.-Noon

Wednesday at the Masters on ESPN+ 

Noon-3 p.m.

Par 3 Contest on ESPN+ 

Noon-1 p.m.

SportsCenter at the Masters

1 p.m.-2 p.m.

SportsCenter at the Masters 

2 p.m.-3 p.m.

SportsCenter at the Masters 

3 p.m.-5 p.m.

Par 3 Contest on ESPN 

5 p.m.-6 p.m.

SportsCenter at the Masters on ESPN 

Thursday, April 7

8:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m.

Featured holes (Nos. 4, 5 & 6)on ESPN+ 

9:15 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Featured groups on ESPN+ 

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

SportsCenter from the Masters on ESPN 

10:45 a.m.-6 p.m.

Amen Corner on ESPN+

11:45 a.m.-7 p.m.

Featured holes (Nos. 15 & 16) on ESPN+ 

3 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

First round of the Masters on ESPN 

7:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

SportsCenter at the Masters on ESPN 

8 p.m.-11 p.m.:

First round of the Masters (encore) on ESPN

Friday, April 8

8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Featured holes (Nos. 4, 5 & 6) on ESPN+ 

9:15 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Featured groups on ESPN+ 

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

SportsCenter from the Masters on ESPN 

10:45 a.m.-6 p.m.

Amen Corner on ESPN+ 

11:45 a.m.-7 p.m.

Featured holes (Nos. 15 & 16) on ESPN+ 

3 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

First round of the Masters on ESPN 

7:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

SportsCenter at the Masters on ESPN ■ 

 HBO debuts the first part of its two-part sports documentary series Tiger, focusing on the life of golf legend Tiger Woods. 

Tiger includes never-before-seen footage and revealing interviews with those who know the golfer best, including his former caddy Steve Williams; golf legend Sir Nick Faldo; and former Woods girlfriend Dina Parr, according to the network. Also, Rachel Uchitel -- the woman at the center of Woods' 2009 sex scandal -- breaks her silence with her first-ever sit-down interview about their relationship, said the network. 

Part two of Tiger premieres Jan. 17, said network officials. 

Alex Gibney serves as executive producer of Tiger alongside Sam Pollard, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello, Armen Keteyian, and Jeff Benedict, said HBO.

Read Also: Tiger Woods Catching Stardom By The Tail, Again

The first week of 2021 will feature the debut of CBS All Access crime drama Coyote and the return of fantasy drama American Gods. 

Coyote, which was initially scheduled to debut on Paramount Network, debuts on CBS All Access Jan. 7 and stars Michael Chiklis as a border patrol agent who finds himself working for the people he spent his career keeping out of America, said the streaming service.

Debuting Jan. 10 on Starz is the third season of American Gods, which stars Ricky Whittle and Ian McShane and chronicles a war brewing between the Old Gods of ancient mythological roots and the New Gods of modern technology, said the network.

Also Read: 'American Gods' Renewed on Starz'

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Jan. 4 to Jan. 10 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Jan. 5 -- History of Swear Words (documentary) -- Netflix

Jan. 7 -- Go-Big Show (reality) -- TBS

Jan. 8 -- Herself (drama) -- Prime Video

Jan. 8 -- Dickinson (returning series) -- Apple TV Plus

Jan. 9 -- A Discovery of Witches (returning series) -- Shudder/Sundance Now

Jan. 10 -- Tiger (documentary) -- HBO

HBO premieres the Tiger Woods documentary Tiger Sunday, Jan. 10. The two-parter, which HBO says illuminates “in sweeping scope and vast detail the rise, fall and epic comeback of global icon Tiger Woods,” concludes Jan. 17. 

Alex Gibney produces. 

Tiger hears from his former caddy, Steve Williams, golf champ Nick Faldo, Earl Woods’ friend Pete McDaniel and Rachel Uchitel, “the woman at the center of the sex scandal that forever altered Tiger’s world, breaking her silence with her first-ever sit-down interview about their relationship,” in HBO’s words. 

Woods is in the 2021 class of the World Golf Hall of Fame. 

Gibney executive produces along with Sam Pollard, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello, Armen Keteyian and Jeff Benedict. 

Matthew Heineman and Matthew Hamachek direct. 

Turner Sports’ live telecast this past Sunday of a charity golf tournament featuring Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning scored big ratings numbers, continuing a trend of strong ratings performances from the return of live sports events amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The May 24 Capital One The Match: Champions for Charity drew 5.8 million viewers across TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN, according to Nielsen. The event, which generated  $20 million for COVID-19 relief efforts, was the most-watched golf telecast in cable TV history, according to Turner.

The Match event marked one of a few but growing number of live sports events that have taken place since the pandemic forced the shutdown of most events in mid March. Most sports events that have returned have brought a large following of fans to TV screens. 

Fox Sports has averaged nearly 4 million viewers for its first three live NASCAR telecasts, led by its first post-pandemic telecast. The May 17 race at Darlington drew  6.3 million viewers on Fox Broadcasting -- the second best performing race this season on Fox Sports, according to Nielsen.  

RELATED: Fox Sports Revs Up For NASCAR Return 

ESPN has pinned down some impressive numbers for its live UFC telecasts. The sports network averaged more than 1.2 million viewers for the main card of its May 16 UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris telecast after generating a reported 700,000 pay-per-view buys for its May 9 UFC 249 event.

With most live sports sidelined since early March due to the coronavirus outbreak, industry observers say sports fans have been salivating for live sports events, whether or not they were big fans of the sport being televised.

“The audience for televised sports is not going away --if anything it’s getting larger and perhaps more passionate because they miss what they haven’t been able to see during the past few months,” sports analyst Lee Berke said.

As more sports make their way back to television -- pro bowling, auto racing events and a potential boxing match are on deck for June -- Berke said that viewership for live sports events will only increase.

“You can’t go out to games, you can’t go out to shows, you can’t go to the movies, so the audience is starving for live events and content,” he said. “If sports can be brought back safely there’s a ready-made, large audience ready to watch.” 

Turner Sports this Sunday (May 24) will take viewers to the golf course for a live competition featuring Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson that is expected to raise $10 million to benefit COVID-19 relief.

Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity will feature Woods and Mickelson in a sequel to their November 2018 Turner Sports-distributed pay-per-view golf match, as well as iconic NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. The event is Turner Sports’ first live sports telecast since the COVID-19 pandemic forced most live sports events to the sidelines. 

Live coverage of the tournament airing on TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN will feature access with all players having open mics throughout the entire competition. The players will have the capability of communicating directly with other golfers and  broadcast commentators, which includes former NBA star Charles Barkley.

Turner Sports chief content officer Craig Barry recently talked about the origins and production of the event.

How did this event come together in light of the pandemic?

It’s really been months of preparation and it’s touched every part of our organization. Despite the pandemic, and with everyone working remotely, we’ve all come together in support of the event and we’re excited to produce a fun, entertaining event this weekend. We have four of the most iconic athletes on the planet involved and it’s all for COVID-19 relief. We hope fans will be able to take a break and enjoy it.

How big is The Match for sports-starved fans in general and golf fans in particular?

From the response we’ve been seeing, there’s strong interest in this event from both hardcore and casual sports fans. Above all, we hope it will drive meaningful funding for COVID-19 relief, while also offering people a bit of distraction from everything else they are facing in this unprecedented moment in time.

How has advertisers responded to The Match?

We were seeing a very strong marketplace before the pandemic, so it’s not a surprise that this event has generated an overwhelming response from our advertising partners. Capital One, as the title sponsor, and all of our marketing partners have enthusiastically supported both the event and its mission to drive funding for COVID-19 relief. We’re proud that we’ve been able to bring together these partners and hopefully deliver some moments that bring levity to viewers, all while maximizing how much funding we can raise in those relief efforts.

What production adjustments has Turner Sports made to televise the event due to the pandemic?

As you can imagine, our event footprint is significantly reduced to only include those individuals that are essential to the production. Most of those personnel have been hired locally for this event. That said, we’re confident in producing a high quality, entertaining show for our viewers.

What are your viewership expectations for The Match?

The key number we’re focused on for this event is the amount of funding for COVID-19 relief. That’s at the center of everything we’re doing. We don’t project viewership numbers, but we have four of the best athletes in the world on display and we think it is going to be a lot of fun for us and our fans.

Is Turner Sports developing on any other live sports events to televise in the near future?

We’re constantly seeking innovative ways to deliver premium sports content for our fans across all platforms, with this event being the latest example of that commitment. We’re very engaged with all of our partners and we’re going to keep exploring opportunities to provide content that truly resonates with fans.

Illustrating the pent up demand for live TV sports, Turner Sports has sold out the sponsorships for the upcoming Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity, pitting Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady.

In addition to Capital One, presenting sponsors are Audi of America, Michelob Ultra and Progressive.

Cisco and DraftKings are content integration partners and AT&T, HBO Max, Callaway, Wheels Up and E-Z-Go are associate sponsors.

The event will be simulcast on TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN on May 24 at 3 p.m. ET., which pre-match coverage on the Bleacher Report App.

While television ads are sold out, some digital packages are still available via Bleacher Report, House of Highlights and Xandr.

Turner Sports’ parent company WarnerMedia and the golfers will be donating $10 million to COVID-19 relief charities.

The event is a rematch of the Tiger-Mickelson pay-per-view showdown in 2018. Because of technical difficulties viewers wound up watching for free or getting their money back.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unimaginable tragedy and heartbreak,” said Jeff Zucker, chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports. “We’re hopeful this event and platform will help raise meaningful funding for COVID-19 relief, while also providing a source of brief distraction and entertainment for all sports fans.”

Live coverage will feature unprecedented access with all players having open mics throughout the entire competition, including the capability to communicate directly with other golfers and the broadcast commentators.

“At Capital One, we’re committed to supporting our customers, communities and partners through this difficult time, and that is why we are proud to be the returning title sponsor of Capital One's The Match: Champions for Charity. This wonderful event will bring four of the world's best athletes together for a tremendous cause," said Marc Mentry, chief brand officer, Capital One. “Capital One knows our customers are passionate about sports, which is why we are excited to support this event and to help bring awareness to these amazing charities."

Illustrating the pent up demand for live TV sports, Turner Sports has sold out the sponsorships for the upcoming Capital One’s The Match: Champions For Charity, pitting Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady.

In addition to Capital One, presenting sponsors are Audi of America, Michelob Ultra and Progressive.

Cisco and DraftKings are content integration partners and AT&T, HBO Max, Callaway, Wheels Up and E-Z-Go are associate sponsors.

The event will be simulcast on TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN on May 24 at 3 p.m. ET., which pre-match coverage on the Bleacher Report App.

While television ads are sold out, some digital packages are still available via Bleacher Report, House of Highlights and Xandr.

Turner Sports’ parent company WarnerMedia and the golfers will be donating $10 million to COVID-19 relief charities.

The event is a rematch of the Tiger-Mickelson pay-per-view showdown in 2018. Because of technical difficulties viewers wound up watching for free or getting their money back.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unimaginable tragedy and heartbreak,” said Jeff Zucker, chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports. “We’re hopeful this event and platform will help raise meaningful funding for COVID-19 relief, while also providing a source of brief distraction and entertainment for all sports fans.”

Live coverage will feature unprecedented access with all players having open mics throughout the entire competition, including the capability to communicate directly with other golfers and the broadcast commentators.

“At Capital One, we’re committed to supporting our customers, communities and partners through this difficult time, and that is why we are proud to be the returning title sponsor of Capital One's The Match: Champions for Charity. This wonderful event will bring four of the world's best athletes together for a tremendous cause," said Marc Mentry, chief brand officer, Capital One. “Capital One knows our customers are passionate about sports, which is why we are excited to support this event and to help bring awareness to these amazing charities."

Discovery Inc. said it has purchased Latin American Golf, which operates 24-hour pay TV network Golf Channel Latin America, from Simple Networks LLC and Fornaluz Productions, for an undisclosed sum.

Golf Channel Latin America reaches more than 10 million homes in 17 regions in Latin America, offering extensive coverage of the game and instructional and entertainment programming. The deal builds on Discovery’s extensive golf coverage, which includes GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR, Golf Digest and an exclusive global content partnership with Tiger Woods.

Launched in 2006, Golf Channel Latin America offers coverage of more than 36 exclusive live events. The network is currently available through pay-tv operators in 17 countries, and provides extensive reporting, analysis and coverage of the game across its digital platforms.

“As Discovery continues to grow its offering and engagement with golf fans around the world, we are excited to be expanding our offering in Latin America to supercharge our golf ambitions across the region,” Discovery Golf president and general manager Alex Kaplan in a press release.

“Combining the forces of leading golf destinations such as Golf Channel Latin America, GolfTV and Golf Digest, in addition to Discovery’s extensive brand portfolio and reach, will create an engine for golf content that offers significant opportunities to build scale across every platform,” he added.

Fox Sports’ weekend coverage of the U.S. Open golf championship and the FIFA Women’s World Cup capped an impressive five-day run of strong viewership performances for marquee sports telecasts.

Fox broadcasting continued to set soccer telecast milestones with its Sunday afternoon coverage of the US women’s soccer team’s 3-0 win over Chile. The network drew 5.3 million viewers for the game, making it the most-watched English-language soccer telecast in the country since the 2018 FIFA Men's World Cup final in Russia, according to Nielsen.

The telecast was also most-watched, FIFA Women’s World Cup Group Stage match ever in the U.S., according to Fox Sports.

Later that evening, the network moved to the greens for its final round coverage of the US Open golf championship. The network’s primetime coverage of the championship from Pebble Beach, California -- in which Gary Woodland (pictured) took home the prized trophy -- delivered 7.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen. Overall, 31.7 million viewers watched all or part of the tournament, making it Fox Sports’ most watched U.S. Open ever.

Fox Sports kicked off its U.S. Open coverage this past Thursday (June 13) with FS1 focusing cameras on the play from two groups of golfers -- including Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka -- while Fox Sports handled main coverage duties for the championship. The telecasts drew a combined 3.4 million viewers -- the best first round coverage on a broadcast network since 2002, according to Fox Sports.

RELATED: Fox Takes Swing At Alternative Feed During U.S. Open Golf Event

Also on June 13, ABC concluded its coverage of the Golden State Warriors-Toronto Raptors NBA Finals by drawing more than 18 million viewers to the sixth and final game of the series, won by the Raptors. While ABC’s ratings were hampered by having the Canadian-based Raptors -- the Toronto market is not rated by Nielsen -- in the finals, the network’s game telecasts on the nights aired were the most-watched shows on television, according to Nielsen.

The NBA Finals ended a day after the NHL Stanley Cup finals finished a thrilling Game 7 between the now champion St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins by averaging 8.7 million viewers on NBC -- the most watched Nielsen-rated NHL telecast, which dates back to 1994, according to Nielsen.

The high cost of sports programming and the value proposition of sports networks will always be a subject for debate within the industry, but what is indisputable is the ability of marquee sports events to still draw big audiences and, more often than not, score more viewers up against any other content on traditional television.

Fox Sports tees off its primetime coverage of the U.S. Open golf championship tonight (June 13) with FS1 offering a alternative feed that will follow every shot from such golfers as Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka alongside Fox Broadcasting’s main telecast.

FS1, which launched Fox Sports' live U.S. Open coverage this afternoon, will switch to a targeted feed at 7:30 that will follow two groups featuring Woods, Jordan Spieth and defending U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka. Fox Broadcasting will pick up full coverage of the championship at the same time.

Usually featured group feeds are only available digitally on Fox Sports apps and other sports sites, but Fox Sports executive vice president and head of programming Bill Wanger said that Fox wanted to experiment with offering the dedicated feed on a linear TV channel.

“We thought it was a unique opportunity being at Pebble Beach -- and with Tiger’s group and Brooks Koepka’s group playing in primetime -- to showcase those two groups on FS1 at the same time that Fox broadcast network has the main telecast with all the golfers,” he said. “We thought it would be a great benefit for the fans.”

Wanger said the FS1 coverage will not hurt viewership for the Fox’s general coverage of the championship, adding that both networks will run the same advertisements at the same time during its telecasts.

“We’ve found in the past that you’re not actually taking away viewers, but adding viewers to the pot, so we feel confident that both numbers will be strong,” he said. “It’s also an added benefit for our advertising partners as well because you get a little boost -- we get to cume up ratings.”

Wanger said that the alternative feed will only run on Thursday night due to other FS1 contractual primetime scheduling commitments -- including live FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer coverage -- over the weekend. Overall, Wagner said he’s confident the Fox Sports will be able to drive strong ratings for its Open coverage through the weekend.

“We’re definitely confident in the viewership we’re see for the tournament,” he said. “One of the great thing about being on the west coast is being able to put golf into primetime. On Thursday and Friday we’ll run until 10 or 10:30 when most people are home and available to watch. Anytime you get a west coast location for a tournament as iconic as Pebble Beach, I think there will be a lot of interest.” 

Discovery continued to beef up its golfing portfolio, agreeing to purchase Golf Digest from publisher Condé Nast.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed but some reports estimated the price tag was about $30 million. 

The addition of Golf Digest will complement Discovery’s growing portfolio around the sport. In January it launched GolfTV with more than 2,000 hours of live action and premium content.

Discovery’s reach into 220 markets and territories worldwide should help boost Golf Digest’s global brand. The publication, which gets nearly half of its revenue from digital advertising, will continue to publish a U.S. monthly print magazine and Discovery will assume the global licenses for editions serving nearly 70 countries.

According to Discovery, Golf Digest has about 4.8 million readers and 2.2 million social media followers.

According to Golf Digest, the sale was part of a nine-month process that began after privately held Condé Nast, which has owned the publication since 2001, announced it would focus more on its core style and culture publications like Vogue and Vanity Fair. The company said it received interest from a number of suitors, “but it was Discovery’s ambitious plans to create a ‘digital home of golf’ that seemed an ideal match from the start.”

Golf Digest’s editorial team will join Discovery Golf under the continued leadership of Jerry Tarde, as Editor-in-Chief, Golf Digest, and Global Head of Strategy and Content, Discovery Golf. Tarde’s responsibilities also will include GolfTV and he will report to Discovery Golf president and general manager Alex Kaplan.

“Golf Digest is a world-class brand that has become the ‘go-to’ authority for millions of golf enthusiasts, professional players and global advertisers,” Discovery CEO David Zaslav said in a press release. “It’s a natural strategic fit with Discovery’s goal to be the leading golf media platform in the world.”

RELATED: Discovery Inc. Acquires Golf Digest 

GolfTV already includes exclusive carriage in select territories outside of the U.S. of the PGA Tour, the European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, and the Masters Tournament. Discovery also had exclusive global content partnerships with Tiger Woods, winner of 81 PGA Tour events and 15 major championships, and Francesco Molinari, winner of three PGA Tour events and the reigning Open champion.

“This is a big deal for Discovery to add Golf Digest to our golf portfolio,” Kaplan said in a press release. “... We can utilize the strengths of both Golf Digest and our burgeoning GolfTV platform, establishing a global editorial powerhouse delivering content across all platforms to engage and inspire millions of passionate golf fans around the world.”

GolfTV is collaborating with Woods on a range of content, including deep-dive instruction to help players improve their game, which began filming last month, and exclusive access to his tournament preparation. 

“This is an important step in enhancing and expanding the U.S. and global reach of Discovery and GolfTV,” Woods said in a press release. “It gives me another platform to tell my story directly to fans and makes my partnership with Discovery even stronger. This acquisition, along with what Discovery and GolfTV have already done with the PGA Tour, is great for the game of golf.”

The addition of the publication gives Discovery a leading golf platform in the U.S., including instructional videos, equipment advice, course rankings, travel destinations, online bookings and more.

Discovery and the PGA Tour are expanding their 12-year strategic partnership with a new content and sales relationship in the U.S., including a full suite of editorial coverage, live and on-demand video streaming, digital, social, print and branded content opportunities. The current Golf Digest sales teams will continue to be responsible for ad sales during a transition period until the Discovery / PGA Tour sales integration is complete.

Greenhill & Co. served as financial advisor to Condé Nast and Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP served as legal advisor to Condé Nast. Proskauer Rose LLP served as legal advisor to Discovery, Inc. 

Halfway through 2018, many industry observers had written off the pay-per-view event category as a dinosaur whose best day were behind it and would soon be replaced by an emerging digital streaming platform that was going to outbid the industry for the biggest  sports events and properties.

Fast forward to the end of December, and the old school distribution platform looks to have picked itself up off the mat and positioned itself to fight again in 2019. 

Showtime’s Dec. 1 Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury PPV heavyweight championship fight ended a run of big events that kept the category relevant to sports fans.

In fact, the strong performances of four, fourth quarter pay-per-view events have shown that consumers are still more than willing to dish out big dollars to watch marquee events on their big TV screens despite the launch of several new, low-cost subscription sports streaming services like DAZN and ESPN+ that offer marquee sports events.

The PPV event category didn’t have a major PPV event until September’s Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin middleweight championship fight, but the rematch bout between the two warriors reportedly drew 1 million buys, the gold standard for the category.

Alvarez weeks later would sign an exclusive 11-fight deal with upstart sports streaming service DAZN, but his most recent PPV fights proved that there was life beyond PPV boxing revenue champions Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

In October, the UFC would set PPV records with its UFC 229, which pitted arguably the mixed martial arts outfit’s biggest draw, Conor McGregor, against champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. The fight inside the ring – Khabib defeated McGregor – along with a post-fight melee helped the event draw a reported UFC record 2.4 million PPV buys. Next year looks promising with the UFC’s new media partner ESPN now both selling and promoting the mixed martial arts outfit’s PPV events going forward.

November welcomed golf to the PPV event category with the Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson match. The event reportedly drew in the neighborhood of 1 million PPV viewers. (Most PPV distributors refunded the event’s $19.99 fee to subscribers after a technical glitch forced sports streaming service Bleacher Report Live to offer the event free to its subscribers.)

The reported 325,000 buys for the action-packed Wilder-Fury fight -- which ended in a draw -- helped the category set the tone for what it hopes will be a robust lineup of fights in 2019. Already two boxing shows are on the docket: Showtime’s Jan. 19 Pacquiao-Adrien Broner fight and Fox Sports’ March 16 Mikey Garcia –Errol Spence Jr. championship fight.

Further, industry executives say new content companies are exploring several non-ring PPV events that could further expand the category’s reach in the new year.

In one of the biggest developments since announcing their partnership in June, Discovery Inc, and the PGA Tour said they have reached an exclusive, multi-year global content partnership with golf legend Tiger Woods to create programming for the streaming video service.

Beginning in January, Golf TV -- the global live and on-demand video streaming service formed by Discovery and the PGA Tour -- will collaborate with the 80-time PGA Tour winner and 14-time Major champion on a wide range of programming, content creation and storytelling opportunities, aimed at giving fans a unique look into the life, mind and performance of one of the game’s most unique icons.

According to Discovery, the partnership will provide fans access to Woods’ practice routines, preparation and life on the road through a variety of programming showcased exclusively on Golf TV.

“I’ve been watching Discovery and [CEO] David Zaslav build up a global sports platform with Eurosport, the Olympics and the launch of Golf TV with us at the PGA Tour, so I think they’re the perfect partner to help grow the game,” Woods said in a statement. “They’re global, they get sports and know how to build new, younger and big audiences. It’s a perfect fit and I’m so excited to be a real partner with the Discovery Sports team.”

RELATED: Tiger Woods’s return to prominence lifts golf’s on-screen profile

“I love the vision of Golf TV and the ambition for it to become the premier destination for golf entertainment worldwide. To have my own platform to communicate is the culmination of a lot of hard work from my team and the team at Discovery. We’re going to build content for everyone, whether you’ve been playing golf for a long time or just starting out. I’ll be sharing stories and giving insight into my approach that has never been seen before. This is such an exciting time for golf and for me, so to be part of the vision to grow the game all around the world is fantastic. I can’t wait to share my knowledge on Golf TV,” he continued.

Among the content Woods and Golf TV are collaborating to develop are:

· Weekly practice and instructional videos;

· Exclusive access into Tiger’s preparation routines;

· Behind-the-scenes access before and after PGA Tour rounds;

· Unique and exclusive post-round commentary.

The content will be exclusively owned by Golf TV globally, including in the United States, where Discovery has the opportunity to execute an owned or partner distribution strategy.

“I am excited to welcome Tiger to the Discovery family and to Golf TV, a true superstar joining our company of world-class storytellers and brands,” Discovery CEO David Zaslav said in a statement. “At the heart of Discovery is high-quality storytelling, told through the most authentic, credible and trusted voices. Tiger is the ultimate example of a world-class athlete and cultural figure with whom audiences are enamored, and follow closely around the world. Our global partnership with Tiger is a perfect example of our strategy to collaborate exclusively with top talent to extend global media platforms, and take advantage of our international distribution and technology infrastructure and aggregate audiences and build long-term value.”

The partnership with Golf TV comes on the heels of a comeback season that saw Woods return to form, culminating in a win at the 2018 Tour Championship in September.

Related: Phil, Tiger Event a Win for PPV Industry Despite Refunds 

“It’s a privilege for us to welcome Tiger to the Golf TV team,” Discovery Golf president and general manager Alex Kaplan said in a statement. “No one else in the game resonates globally the way Tiger does or has the global fan base, and he has great wisdom to share, on and off the course. We’re thrilled to give him the global platform to do just that, and to provide our audience in more than 200 markets and territories a closer look at Tiger on the greens and behind the scenes.”

Golf TV will show more than 2,000 hours of live action each year as well as a wide range of premium content on-demand on every screen and device. Live coverage of the PGA Tour outside of the U.S. will include The Players Championship, the FedExCup Playoffs and the Presidents Cup.

The now infamous technical glitches that ultimately made the Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson Black Friday pay-per-view golf event a free-per-view event weren't a total bogey for the industry.

Yes, the match failed to deliver reported millions of dollars from PPV buys for the category after most PPV distributors offered refunds to viewers purchasing the event due to OTT streaming service Bleacher Report Live's decision to put the $19.95 event in the clear for its subscribers after suffering through technical issues delivering the live golf match. 

But the silver lining for the Turner Sports-distributed event-- which pitted two of the most popular and successful golfers of this generation against one another -- is that it ended up generating better than expected PPV orders from both the traditional cable and digital streaming side, according to sources close to the situation. No official PPV buy tally for the event was available at press time. 

While the PPV numbers for Tiger vs Phil will not come anywhere near that of 2015's industry record- setting Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight, industry observers say the performance does bodes well for the much-needed expansion of the PPV event category beyond boxing and mixed martial arts in terms of the category's ability to attract viewers to a non-ring sports event.

Traditional cable, satellite and telco distributors did not report any technical glitches offering the event, in which Mickelson defeated Woods in 22 holes of golf competition. Nevertheless, most distributors provided rebates to consumers after Turner Sports’ upstart Bleacher Report Live streamed the event free to its subscribers due to technical glitches that kept paying viewers from watching the golf competition.

The streaming of live pay-per-view sports events is still in an infancy stage, so inevitably technical problems can and will occur. PPV event distributors say a small percentage of overall PPV buys for big events are generated from streaming services, but when technological issues pop up during marquee events like Tiger vs. Phil or last year’s Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor mega fight, the category’s growing pains are magnified.

Unfortunately, Bleacher Report Live’s glitch and Turner’s decision to pull the event from behind B/R Live’s pay wall -- and the subsequent refunds offered by cable, satellite and telco distributors -- all but wiped out any chance of the event generating significant revenue from PPV transactions.

Once the smoke clears however, the PPV industry might eventually view the Tiger vs Phil PPV event as a success in bringing new viewers to category. That will hopefully encourage Turner Sports and other content producers to consider offering unique and potentially attractive sports events to the PPV category. 

For The Last Decade, golf has been looking for a superstar who could rise to the level of Tiger Woods, a legend who could transcend the sport, score victories on the links and draw millions of television viewers.

In 2018, it found that star: Tiger Woods. The phenom who took the sport by storm in the 1990s and 2000s with 79 PGA tour wins, but who has struggled through injuries and scandals in recent years, played his way back to pro golf’s upper echelon.

Woods’s improbable win at September’s PGA Tour Championship — in front of millions of viewers — capped off his return to the winner’s circle. It also earned him recognition as one of Multichannel News’s Athletes of the Year for 2018.

Woods’s victory in Atlanta ended a personal five-year tournament win drought. More important, it put him and golf back on top of the sports pages.

It also restored Woods’s personal brand to lofty levels — so much so that WarnerMedia later this month will roll the dice on a first of its kind golf pay-per-view event featuring a match between Woods and rival Phil Mickelson.

“We’ve seen that he continues to capture the imagination of viewers,” HBO executive vice president Peter Nelson said. “As he has reinvented his game, he has reinvented himself and his appeal.”

Meteoric Rise

Woods has been the sport’s biggest television draw since he burst on the pro golf scene in 1996 at age 20; he won his first major tournament, The Masters, a year later. But heading into 2018, the now 42-year-old Woods had been mostly absent from the PGA’s tournament leaderboards.

Years of injuries and a rash of personal scandals, including an embarrassing 2017 DUI arrest, threatened to permanently sidetrack his golf career.

“The way that his career collapsed added to the drama of his returning, and the fact that he was so far gone and removed from everything and came back, is very appealing for viewers,” TV sports consultant Lee Berke said. “When it comes to sports stars and celebrities, America gives people second chances.”

Woods found his stroke again this past summer, finishing second in the U.S. PGA Championship, his highest finish in a PGA major tournament in nine years. CBS, which aired the final rounds of the tournament, was the beneficiary of Woods’ resurrection, generating a 69% increase in household ratings for the tournament compared to the previous year, according to the network.

“There have been only a handful of athletes who can actually move the television ratings, and none of them have had as big an effect as Tiger Woods,” said CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus. “When he is in contention, the ratings go through the roof. It’s a guaranteed lock.”

In September, Woods won his first PGA tournament in five years, finishing first at the FedEx Cup playoffs’ Tour Championship tournament. In the process, Woods’ performance helped NBC and Golf Channel set ratings records.

NBC’s final-round coverage of the Tour Championship was the network’s mostwatched golf event since 1991 and the most-watched round in the history of the FedExCup Playoffs, which began in 2007. Overall, viewership for Golf and NBC’s four-day coverage was up over 130% over last year and finished as the most watched Tour Championship on record, NBC Sports Group said.

Woods’ overall presence on the golf scene in 2018 also helped Golf deliver its most watched year ever and NBC’s best year of PGA Tour coverage since 2006, per the programmer.

“The massive gallery that followed Tiger up the 18th fairway at his win at the Tour Championship was matched by record viewership across NBC Sports’ platforms this past year,” NBC Sports Group president of golf Mike McCarley said. “Golf is experiencing a surge in momentum with Tiger and the young stars of the Tiger-inspired generation atop leaderboards.”

Rebuilding the Brand

Berke said Woods was able to not only reinvent his golf game in 2018, but build his image as a popular brand back up as well. “There is such an obsession about him,” Berke said. “He has been able to develop a glamour and mystique around him, as well as a level of interest and performance that no one else in golf has been able to match.”

Woods’s brand is so appealing and so hot that WarnerMedia is producing a first-ever PPV golf match featuring Woods and Mickelson that will tee off on Black Friday (Nov. 23). The event will retail for a suggested $19.99 and will feature an 18-hole duel between the two golf superstars for a $9 million winner-take-all purse.

“We couldn’t have scripted [Tiger’s win] any better leading up to the event,” said Craig Barry, chief content officer for Turner Sports. “Tiger is one of the most iconic athletes ever in any sport, so we have an opportunity to create an event that can not only showcase Tiger as well as Phil, but can also create an opportunity to tell the narrative of [Tiger’s] story over the years.”

The matchup is so big that WarnerMedia-owned premium programmer service HBO is dusting off its award-winning 24/7 documentary series, typically slated for big pay-per-view boxing events, to follow both golfers as the match approaches.

“The mano-a-mano nature of this matchup, as well as the history of the rivalry and the legacy of both competitors almost necessitated us to do a 24/7 documenting a story like this,” HBO’s Nelson said. “It’s going to be a can’t miss-event.”

Added Berke: “There are very few brand names in golf. Tiger is one of them and Mickelson is the other, but of the two Tiger is the superstar.”

Turner Sports Thursday released a new video showcasing its upcoming Nov. 23 Capital One’s The Match: Tiger vs. Phil pay-per-view golf event.

The “Destiny” video short features golf legends Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as they discuss their storied careers and on-course meetings over the past three decades through a mashup of highlights. The PPV event will feature the two golfers as they face off against each other in an 18-hole golf match.

Tiger vs. Phil will be available on PPV through Turner’s digital SVOD sports service Bleacher Report Live as well as to MVPD providers through through In Demand and Vubiquity, according to Turner.

Turner Sports’ Nov. 23 Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson pay-per-view golf match highlights what has been a very unique and successful fall for the PPV event category.

The Capital One’s The Match: Tiger vs. Phil event – the first live, head-to-head golf event ever carried on PPV -- will retail at a suggested price of $19.99, according to Turner executives. Turner is treating the event, in which the winner will receive a $9 million prize -- like a big, boxing match. It has commissioned sister premium service HBO to offer its 24/7 sports documentary series – which is usually associated with marquee boxing matches – to follow the two iconic golfers leading up to the big event.

Golf fans can buy the match through traditional companies like In Demand and Vubiquity, as well as through new entrants like Turner’s Bleacher Report Live streaming sports service.

Tiger vs. Phil adds to what has become a very fruitful period for the PPV event category.

For the first eight months of the year, the pay-per-view event industry hadn’t had a lot to cheer about. Then in September, Canelo Alvarez and Genaddy Golovkin stepped into the boxing ring for a rematch of their highly controversial November 2017 fight, which ended in a draw. Along with being an action-packed fight -- won by Alvarez in a close decision -- the rematch drew approximately 1.1 million PPV buys, according to ESPN.

The Oct. 6 UFC 229 Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov fight will be remembered mostly for the wild, post-fight melee that took place both inside and outside the octagon. Yet the event is trending to become the most successful PPV event in UFC’s history with more than 2 million buys, according to published reports.

Showtime will step into the PPV ring Dec. 1 with its big heavyweight championship fight between Deontay Wlder and Tyson Fury.

Looking ahead, the PPV category will certainly face some challenges beginning in 2019 as upstart streaming services like ESPN and DAZN compete for mid-sized combat sports events. DAZN’s deal to stream current PPV boxing champion Alvarez’s next 11 fights is a major body blow to the category.

But for now, the PPV category is enjoying a very event-filled and lucrative end to 2018.