US golf’s dominant PGA Tour has extended its broadcast rights deal with Sky New Zealand, the major pay-television operator in that country, while also renewing a betting and content partnership with the US fantasy sports firm FanDuel for the next three years.
The multi-year extension of the deal with Sky New Zealand, which was brokered by US media heavyweight and the Tour’s rights distribution partner Discovery, means that broadcaster will continue to have exclusive rights in New Zealand to events including the FedEX Cup season and playoffs, the Presidents Cup, the PGA Tour Champions, and the Korn Ferry Tour.
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Also included in the deal will be “ancillary programming”, including end-of-year review shows, official films, and ‘PGA Tour: The Cut’.
Sky NZ has held exclusive PGA Tour rights since 2016, with regular extensions being struck over the last three years.
The new deal begins later this month, with the Sentry Tournament of Champions, and with the Sony Open in Hawaii.
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Jonny Errington, chief content and commercial officer at Sky NZ, said: “We’re excited to continue our coverage of the PGA Tour and work closely with Discovery Sports … Together we’re looking to do more than simply bringing the best of the best to Kiwi golf and sports lovers.”
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By GlobalDataThe extension with US-based FanDuel, meanwhile, runs through to 2024 and means the brand will continue as an official betting operator of the Tour for the next three seasons.
FanDuel will continue to have rights in the US to “use PGA Tour marks, rights to advertise within Tour media and Tour partner platforms, plus content and video rights.”
This renewal builds on the existing relationship between the pair, with the last deal having been struck in August 2020.
The content side of the extension involves FanDuel having the rights to create pre-game and post-game betting-based programming, as well as distributing highlights footage through its social media accounts to customers.
Mike Raffensperger, chief marketing officer at FanDuel Group, said: “We value the Tour’s willingness to be a first mover in bringing new features like real-time highlights into our app which enhance the entertainment experience for the Tour’s passionate fans.”
The PGA Tour has had an official betting operator program in place since 2018, when it entered into a global partnership with IMG Arena, the betting arm of the international sports and entertainment giant, to license its live-scoring data to sportsbooks.
Last month, the PGA Tour extended its partnership with BetMGM, the sports betting joint venture between MGM Resorts International and gambling firm GVC Holdings, for a further three years.
Like FanDuel, BetMGM will remain an official betting operator of the Tour until 2024.
BetMGM will also become the exclusive odds provider to the Tour’s various digital assets, including PGATour.com and TourCast.
Last week, meanwhile, FanDuel was named as the official mobile sports betting partner of the Buffalo Bills, of American football’s NFL.
Through the agreement, FanDuel will receive exposure via broadcast spots, in-game signage, and activations at the Bills' Highmark Stadium in New York.
It will also be able to utilize the franchise's marks and logos.
