PGA Tour To Represent LPGA Tour In Next TV Negotiations

Friday press releases always raise a red flag, but if they land before noon I give them the benefit of the doubt. But the round three LPGA Tour notes have gotten to the truth behind Friday's announced LPGA Tour-PGA Tour strategic partnership.

TV money!

Oh, we dream of a mixed couples event during the season and in the Olympics, but we know that entertainment and competition stuff isn't of much interest to Tim Finchem. What is of interest: making deals.

As we learn in the round three notes from the HSBC in Singapore, this is mostly about leverage. Not that the LPGA Tour has many television options when its deal expires in 2019.

“It’ll be tremendous value as we try to elevate our sport and a lot of value for our sponsors to be included in that coverage,” said Podany. “There are a lot of digital and social opportunities we can work on. They’ll also represent our TV rights domestically as we head toward the end of our Golf Channel agreement in the United States and we think there is a lot of opportunity there.”

Right! It's called, the Golf Channel or starting your own network.