New Golf Channel Logo Debuts In May To Give Grieving Viewers Time To Properly Say Goodbye To The Much Beloved "G"

Some days this blogging business can be pretty bleak, like when I have to put on the white lab jacket to break news in which I regret to inform you that the current iteration of the brand only has six months to live.

Golf Channel is chucking its shiny, barely-discernable G logo for a new, all-black-except-the-peakcock (!?) lettering scheme cooked up by the branding gurus at Troika. I don't know who they are, but they sound hip and expensive, so they must be the best.

However, there was news embedded in this unveiling, as I found out after using the jaws of life to cut through the jargon and read that Golf Channel has international aspirations.

For Immediate Release...

GOLF CHANNEL UNVEILS NEW LOGO
 
Logo Scheduled for May 2014 Rollout
 
ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 16, 2013) – Golf Channel today unveiled a new logo for the network, reflecting its ever-evolving golf media businesses within the NBC Sports Group. This new brand look will strengthen Golf Channel’s position as a worldwide voice for golf news and tournament coverage, as well as programming that touches all aspects of the game.
 
The logo, which uses the word “GOLF” next to the iconic NBC peacock, will activate across Golf Channel’s various platforms in May 2014 in connection to THE PLAYERS Championship, the PGA TOUR’s flagship tournament.  The new version will replace the network’s transitional logo, which has been used on Golf Channel and NBC since the network became part of the NBC Sports Group in 2011.
 
“The English word “golf” is recognized around the world and nearly in every language. And with Golf Channel’s evolution over the past two decades from a cable television business to a global golf business, using the word ‘golf” in our logo positions the business for further growth in the decades to come,” said Regina O’Brien, Golf Channel Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing.  “The new logo and its custom font visually synchronizes Golf Channel’s ever-growing portfolio of businesses and creates brand consistency across all Golf Channel and NBC platforms that are rooted in golf.”
 
What started as an upstart cable sports channel in 1995 by co-founders Arnold Palmer and Joe Gibbs, has evolved into a powerful golf lifestyle brand, which is now available in 120 million households in 83 countries worldwide.  Since joining NBC Sports Group, Golf Channel has been one of the fastest growing networks in television and has set most-watched year records consecutively for the past three years. The network is now accompanied by a suite of digital platforms including GolfChannel.com, Golf Channel Mobile and Golf Live Extra streaming. Additionally, several golf lifestyle businesses have flourished in recent years including GolfNow, the world’s number-one online tee time service and technology partner for golf courses; Golf Channel SwingFix, an instructional platform with individualized video swing analysis by certified PGA and LPGA instructors; as well as Golf Channel Amateur Tour, which hosted more than 800 amateur tournaments across North America with more than 7,000 participants. All of these brand extensions and golf lifestyle businesses, and future initiatives, will incorporate the new brand style and custom font, which will clearly link each of these platforms to Golf Channel, the high-quality, flagship platform at the business’ core.

Now that's how you end a press release! Take that, Ponte Vedra!