Nantz on Fox-Shark Split: "I am curious."

SI's Richard Deitsch talked to Jim Nantz about many topics, but left out this bit on the Greg Norman-Fox Sports breakup. However, Deitsch posted it in a notes piece.

Nantz explains how good Norman was in the booth whenever he'd finish after a round, making the parting a surprise to him.

So we don’t know what happened there. I am curious. It takes time for people to be together in any sport on the air, to be able to establish continuity and chemistry. When I interview coaches and players, sometimes you can see who is really gifted at rolling out a sound bite and saying it in a way that has never been heard before—interesting ways in making you think. I worked a lot with Greg over the years and I don’t know why they parted ways. I always had a lot of respect for what he offered when he came to his tower.

“I wish Fox well,” Nantz continued. “Unlike the NFL where everyone is broadcasting at the same time during the regular season, the golf season you hand it off. Yes, we [at CBS] have it for the most weeks but we truly want everyone to do well because when it is your week, you are in charge of trying to make the game sound interesting and advance the sport and document it. It is not the competitive craziness that people want to talk about it. I watch other people call golf events and cheer them on and text them and congratulate them when they do good work, which is all the time. It is a different vibe than you might think.”

Jim Nantz Eyes Retirement...At The 2036 Masters

This is assuming (presumptiously) that CBS/ABC/Viacom/ESPN/Google (CAVEG) will still hold the rights in 2036, having fought off a strong effort from NBC/Universal/Apple/GE (NUAG) after Chairman (Brian) Roberts decided it was no longer a conflict to have steered the rights to his former family company (until the Apple/GE takover).

Richard Deitsch talks to the CBS broadcaster as he prepares for another Super Bowl, followed by the NCAA Tournament and then his favorite gig, The Masters.

Oh, and 2036 because that's the 100th anniversary of the Masters...

“So Jack Whitaker if you will gave me a new goal, redefined what I want the back end of my career to look like,” Nantz said. “I know it sounds a little crazy. Here we are in 2016 talking like this. But there are great, iconic voices working in their 70s, churning out quality work. This is all subject to be reexamined but I really want to make it to 2036 health willing and CBS willing. I’d really like to do that for Jack Whitaker.

"I would be 76 years old, but there are broadcasters working at that age and even older. I love what I do. Every show is it’s own challenge and I love it. It will be a hard thing to let go of but that is one thing I would love to be able to achieve one day.”

Shark Speaks: Fox Is Now In "Tough Position" Without Me

Alan Bastable gets Greg Norman on the line to discuss his firing as Fox Sports' lead golf analyst.

Norman says Fox will struggle without him and the great chemistry he helped build.

"I think Joe Buck is actually now in a tough position, because we became great friends and I believe we had a great foundation," Norman said. "The whole team really had a good chemistry, so I think it will be a challenge to recreate the formula. I am certain Fox has someone in mind already."

Shark And Fox: Who Couldn't Have Seen It Coming?

Greg Norman put on a shirt for a change and Instagrammed some nonsense about business and life in reaction to getting fired by Fox Sports after just one year. The text, with hashtag included:

#MondayMorningMotivator "Over the years, I’ve learned that no business can stand still. There are always changes in ownership and personnel, and invariably challenges with keeping your product or service relevant and in-demand. The reality is that businesses change, they evolve. We are going to keep moving – just like a shark.”

Get it, like a Shark. Get it? Clever!

That's about what you'd expect of someone who calls himself the Living Brand, claims to call Presidents to console them, says he won the Tournament of Life and, in numerous other ways over the last few years has shown himself to be emphatically detached from reality.

The signs, even pre-Fox, did not stop Fox's David Hill from apparently committing to the Shark before hiring a producer, a decision that saddled Fox Sports' foray into golf with more than just a commentator who only sounded engaged when talking about himself or a fellow Aussie. By all insider accounts, Norman had a say in who was hired and who wasn't, effectively tying producer Mark Loomis' hands in year one of a twelve...twelve...year deal.

Of course it's not Norman's fault that the technical side of the broadcast had issues or that some of his fellow announcers were as flat as he was. But ultimately, the signs were all there that this was a bad hire and Fox deserves credit for not prolonging the agony. Oh sure, Norman may have made it easy by reportedly mailing it in on his own tournament this fall, after mailing in the first five events he worked for Fox in year one of the twelve...twelve year deal.

Still, the signs are enjoyable to recall.

There's his proclivity to post shirtless photos of himself.

Perhaps when he said he never watched golf, this was a sign he might not exactly have a knowledge of what makes a good commentator or who the heck is playing each week.

Because to be honest with you, I never watch golf. I really didn’t because I thought it was kind of boring. And the presentation was boring. So now that we have Fox on board, we are…I am really looking forward to it and I know golf is really excited about it."

And when he declared himself fair and balanced, he left out the part about being determined to talk about himself as the defining characteristic of his announce philosophy.

“My objective is not to be criticizing golfers. My objective is to be fair and balanced. If I see something that I feel is very pertinent to the situation, I will explain that view to the audience, and I want it to be very fan-friendly and informative.

When it was announced he would be conjoined with Joe Buck, it couldn't have been a good sign that they'd never met.

Or maybe it was just the fist bump at Pinehurst that should have been our warning.

Press Release: Fox & Shark "Part Ways"

Fox Sports makes the parting with Greg Norman official, but rest assured, they will continue to broadcast the Shark Shootout final round. Can't wait for those in-booth visits from the Living Brand.

For Immediate Release:

FOX Sports announces that they will be making a change to their commentary team, and Greg Norman will not return to the network’s USGA Championships coverage in 2016.  The announcement was made today by John Entz, President of Production & Executive Producer, FOX Sports.
 
Both parties have agreed to an amicable separation and will continue to work together to broadcast the Franklin Templeton Shootout, which remains an important part of FOX Sports’ golf platform.
 
“After careful consideration, we have decided to make this change to our USGA Championships coverage,” said John Entz. “We want to thank Greg for his contributions last year, and wish him success in all his current and future endeavors.”
 
“I put a lot into my role this past year and really enjoyed the time I spent with the commentary team,” said Norman. “I have a long history with FOX and wish them well on their journey showcasing USGA Championships. I also want to thank David Hill (former Head of FOX Sports) and the USGA for believing in me and instilling their vote of confidence in me from the outset.”

Shark! Greg Norman Out At Fox, Azinger In?

That's what Links Magazine is reporting on Twitter and I can confirm from a second well-placed source.

That source could not confirm, however, that Paul Azinger will be announced as Greg Norman's replacement after just a year as Fox golf's lead analyst. However, Azinger has gone very quiet of late on Twitter and has been widely rumored in recent days to be talking to Fox.

Furthermore, Azinger worked with Fox golf producer Mark Loomis when the trio of Mike Tirico-Nick Faldo and Azinger was widely revered for their fresh, fun and smart approach.

Azinger has most recently been lead analyst on ESPN's golf telecasts, but with the network down to just The Masters, his much-needed smart approach to players, championships, courses and the golf swing would be a great addition to Fox. Azinger will be an enormous upgrade over Norman, whose first year was marked largely by sounding unprepared, appearing unaware of players who were born outside Australia, and most of all, seeming very impressed with former World No. 1 Greg Norman.

If you're nostalgic, here is the Shark's first suggestion he would be Fox's lead man on USGA coverage, just hours after the announcement had been made.

Update on 2016-01-18 03:40 by Geoff

**Golfweek.com's Martin Kaufmann says the departure is essentially a firing.

During the final round of the Franklin Templeton Shootout in December, Fox put a third announcer, Brad Faxon, in the 18th tower with Norman and anchor Joe Buck. The hope, according to sources, was that Faxon’s presence would force Norman to become more engaged in the broadcast. Fox, however, apparently didn’t see a way forward with Norman.

Update on 2016-01-18 04:57 by Geoff

**Gary Van Sickle at Golf.com analyzes and offers this from a source:

Norman just wasn’t engaged in any of the FOX telecasts the way the network had hoped, the source said.

"It was tough for the whole staff because he wasn’t involved in the shows like a lead analyst should be," the source said. "Maybe he thought just being Greg Norman was enough. He's been successful in everything he's done in business but he wasn’t good at TV. He was a team player but when the cameras turned on, he just went silent."

Forward Press: Sean McDonough & Dye's Dominican Masterpiece

Other than a 1994 Shell's Wonderful World of Golf featuring Fred Couples vs. Ray Floyd, Pete Dye's Casa de Campo design hasn't been seen much on TV. Until this week.

In this week's Forward Press, I chatted with ESPN's Sean McDonough about the difficulty of working a golf broadcast featuring an almost entirely unknown field. That's the case at this week's Latin America Amateur Championship, brought to you by the Masters, USGA and R&A where a Master berth is up for grabs.

Also included are some embeds of fun "Teeth of the Dog" preview videos, including Dye reading writings about what he has said (at times) of his beloved design.

Other viewing tips include the Sony Open and a Caddyshack airing scrubbed cleaner than a Golden Globes telecast. Enjoy.

2016 Kapalua Overnights: Best In A Decade

Certainly it's nice to see that all of the young-gun hype and interest in Jordan Spieth's potentially historic trajectory is attracting viewers, though I'd contend it's even nicer to see Hyundai finally get improved ratings after a so-so run that likely ended after the 2016 Tournament of Champions. (However, the rumor mill suggests they are primed to be continuing on in a different PGA Tour event.)

Saturday's rating is probably the most impressive given the competition from an exciting NFL game.

From Golf Channel PR:

Golf Channel’s coverage of the PGA TOUR’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions posted Best Overnight Ratings in a Decade:

· Final Round Overnight Rating of .70 is Golf Channel’s “Highest Overnight Rating Ever” at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. This more than doubled the Overnight Rating for 2015 of .34 (+106% vs. 2015)

· Golf Channel’s Final Round Overnight Rating (.70) was +35% from the overnight for any previous telecast of this event on Golf Channel (2007-16) and +52% from any prior Final Round at this event on Golf Channel (2007-16)

· World No. 1 Jordan Spieth’s 8-shot victory had significant television competition, including coverage posting a .60 Overnight Rating (6-8 p.m. ET) vs. Sunday’s late NFC Wildcard Game and posting a .81 Overnight Rating (8-10 p.m. ET) opposite the Golden Globes. Coverage peaked from 9:30-10 p.m. ET at .87.
 
For previous rounds, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions kicked off the New Year by posting “Highest Overnight Rating Ever” on Golf Channel (2007-2016):

· Thursday night’s First Round coverage posted a .33 Overnight Rating (+27% vs. 2015) from 6-10 p.m. ET.

· Friday night’s Second Round coverage posted a .40 Overnight Rating (+25% vs. 2015) from 6-10 p.m. ET, peaking at a .49 Overnight Rating from 8-8:30 p.m. ET.

· Saturday’s combined coverage on NBC and Golf Channel posted a Round 3 Overnight Rating of .74 Metered Market Rating (NBC 4-6 p.m. ET: .95; Golf Channel 6-8 p.m. ET: .52) and is “Highest Overnight Rating” for any 1st, 2nd or 3rd round at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, matching ESPN’s coverage of the 2nd Round in 2006 (.74).

· NBC’s coverage of Round 3 (.95 Metered Market Overnight – 4-6 p.m. ET) is the “Highest Overnight Rating” for any telecast from this event in the last 10 years (2007-16). Coverage peaked at a 1.10 from 5:30-6 p.m. ET

· Golf Channel’s coverage of Round 3 (.52 Overnight Rating – 6-8 p.m. ET) is the “Highest Overnight Rating for Round 3” on Golf Channel (2007-16) and the best 3rd Round at this event on cable since ESPN’s coverage in 2005. Going into Sunday, this was also the “Highest Overnight Rating Ever for Any Round” of this event on Golf Channel (2007-16). Golf Channel’s coverage peaked at a .63 from 7:30-8 p.m. ET.

Golf Channel Matches Highest Rated Year After Slow Start

But who cares about that...millennials are watching! Well, 50% more than the previous year, no doubt thanks to a wave of millennials vying for majors.

The full release here. Some highlights for my copy and paste archiving purposes. The most notable number may be the finish to the year after a slow start:

ADDITIONAL 2015 GOLF CHANNEL VIEWERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS:
    •    Strong Finish to 2015 after Young Stars Energize (24-hour Total Day 6AM-6AM):
    ◦    First Quarter                 -14% YOY
    ◦    Second Quarter            +3% YOY – Tied Most-Watched Second Quarter Ever
    ◦    Third Quarter               +8% YOY – Most-Watched Third Quarter Ever
    ◦    Fourth Quarter             +13% YOY

Now to the only people who seemingly matter...

    ◦    “Millennial” Growth on Golf Channel (Average Viewers P25-34):
    ▪    +50% in Total Day with Persons 25-34
    ▪    +17% in Primetime with Persons 25-34
    ▪    +22% for PGA TOUR coverage with Persons 25-34

Now to the only people who actually pay the bills:

    ▪    Most-Affluent Audience in All of Television:
    ▪    Total Day: No. 1 most-affluent ad-supported television network for median household income ($77.1k) for the second consecutive year
    ▪    Primetime: No. 1 most-affluent ad-supported television network for median household income ($83.6k) for the second consecutive year

Peter Kostis' Next Post-Round Interviews With Zach Johnson And Billy Horschel Should Be Pleasurably Awkward

Peter Kostis, CBS on-course reporter, sometimes acknowledged member of Team Titleist who says the golf ball should not be blamed for distance increases, and Twitter motto-holder "Be positive, be happy," sounds really annoyed by players jumping ship to Parsons Extreme Golf.

He's even conducting a poll to confirm the sheer awfulness of the free-market at work.

Obligatory press release "these clubs r the best I've ever used".How many would be changing if $ wasn't involved?

— Peter Kostis (@peterjkostis) January 4, 2016

The news broke Monday included these press release quotes from Zach Johnson and Billy Horschel: 

“The decision to put PXG clubs in play was not one I took lightly,” said British Open and Masters champion Zach Johnson. “My entire team, from caddie to coach, was part of the discernment process. We all agree that PXG is undeniably the best equipment to help me achieve my goals on the course.”

“Being part of PXG is like being part of a very special movement in golf,” champion golfer Billy Horschel added. “What the company has accomplished in its first generation of equipment is mind-blowing. I’ve been playing some really incredible golf with PXG clubs and I feel very confident that great things are to come.”

Now, he could be also referring to new Nike man Brooks Koepka, but based on his quotes reported by Rex Hoggard or in this Nike roundup from Kyle Porter, it would appear Kostis is especially upset with Johnson and Horschel. Can't wait for those post-round interviews with two players are generally most forthright in their assessments.

A Less Rosy View Of Back9's Reorganization Attempt

Katy Stecha at the Wall Street Journal has gone through the court papers and paints a less flattering image of Back9's possible reinvention as an online website and app.

Most eye-opening is who and how much the failed network owed money to.

The five existing investors behind the $2 million offer are retired United Technologies Corp UTX +1.16%. executive Karl Krapek, private equity managing partner Denis Nayden, wood exporter Ted Rossi, KKR KKR -1.77% investment firm portfolio manager Paul Raether and Brian Furbish.

Under the purchase plan, the investors will continue to repay roughly $4.75 million in low-interest loans extended through Connecticut’s media tax credit program. The state’s decision to invest in the golf channel gave critics of Democratic Gov. Dan Malloy something to grumble about. As the Connecticut Post pointed out, Mr. Malloy’s chief of staff is married to a Back9Network employee. The network also employed former Democratic state Sen. Sanford Cloud Jr., his close ally.

The channel’s collapse stung an impressive list of more than 200 investors, including tech entrepreneurs, Wall Street executives, doctors and golf industry players. People who own small slices of the channel include New Jersey Devils part owner David Blitzer and UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma.

Here is the full list of those owed money by the failed network.

Back9 Network Planning Online Return, Expansion

Stephen Singer reports for the Hartford Courant on efforts by the failed television network Back9 to continue on as a website, app and email property, according to bankruptcy filings and confirned by CEO Charles Cox.

Singer writes:

Cox and co-founder Reid Gorman tapped $2 million from a group of investors, including Karl Krapek, former president and chief operating officer of United Technologies Corp., and Denis Nayden, managing partner of Oak Hill Capital Partners and former chairman and chief executive officer of GE Capital, the one-time financing unit of General Electric Co. They did not return calls seeking information on their roles in the return of Back9Network.

Back9Network executives acknowledged in the filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Hartford their failure to launch a profitable television network. They're now forming a "compelling online platform" of websites, a golf app and an email newsletter with 1.7 million subscribers, they said.

Anyone use the app cited by the network as key to its growth?

Fox Age Discrimination Lawsuit Cites Hiring Of Holly Sonders

Sports reporter Colleen Dominguez is suing Fox Sports over age discrimination and the sometimes-golf, sometimes-NFL reporter citing 28-year-old Holly Sonders as evidence of the network putting someone with less experience ahead of her. Dominguez's issues with Sonders relate to football telecasts, not golf.

Sean Zak at golf.com with the details.

In the lawsuit Dominguez alleges that "[Sonders] has no experience with the NFL, yet FOX has assigned Sonders to cover the 2015 NFL season. Dominguez is not receiving any NFL assignments although she has substantial experience covering the NFL."

When reached by GOLF.com, Sonders declined to comment about the lawsuit.

2015 In Golf Television

Golfweek's Martin Kaufmann lists his ten biggest stories of golf on television for 2015, with David Feherty's move to NBC/Golf Channel finishing second to Fox's "uneven" debut.

He sees Fox's innovation pushing the other networks. However I've yet to see CBS or NBC putting a mic in a cup or employing some of the architecture-friendly camera angles and animated flyovers that stood out. I sense Kaufmann is still trying to convince himself that his predictions of Fox innovation spreading like wildfire will come true.

The newcomer's Open effort was uneven, and certainly hindered by the USGA's regrettable decision to hold the event at Chambers Bay. Fox has big issues to address on its announcing crew in 2016. But it is pushing innovative technology, forcing CBS and NBC to follow suit, and it already is doing a better job than competitors at capturing on-course audio. In the long run, the new competition will make the industry, and the consumer experience, better.

Mark Rolfing Will Be Back

Great news from NBC/Golf Channel reporting that longtime course reporter and all-things-Hawaii has recovered from his cancer battle to return for next month's Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua.

"Debi and I would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming support during these past several months, including our Golf Channel and NBC Sports family, friends in the media, players and fans," Rolfing said. "The medical staffs at the University of Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston have been amazing. I'm excited to rejoin my colleagues in January in welcoming the PGA Tour back to Hawaii."