PGA of America signs 11-year contract with CBS and ESPN

As part of a new 11-year deal, the PGA Championship will remain with CBS Sports and will be a powerful ESPN partner for rounds of weekdays starting in 2020, was announced on Wednesday.

The combined networks will provide 175 hours of coverage on broadcast, cable and digital platforms.

The financial terms of the deal announced Wednesday were not unveiled even though it was clear that the PGA Championship was more attractive in May than in August.

The agreement begins in 2020, when the PGA Championship is played at Harding Park, San Francisco. CBS Sports will show an extra hour on Saturday and Sunday. ESPN plans to use its ESPN + directly with consumers to cover the 72 holes.

"This agreement is going to be great for golf enthusiasts and is important for ESPN and ESPN +," said Burke Magnus, executive vice president of ESPN. "The PGA will strengthen ESPN's diverse collection of major events and offer another world-class competition to the ESPN + platform and growing audience, and we look forward to working with the PGA of America to help increase the popularity of this sport. "

The agreement also gives CBS and ESPN, who broadcast the Masters, the first two major of the year.

The PGA Championship debuted on cable television with ESPN in 1982 and 1983 and was broadcast by the network from 1985 to 1990.

"For nearly half a century, CBS Sports has been a vital member of the extended family of the PGA of America, while hosting our premier championship for golf enthusiasts nationwide," said the CEO of PGA of America. America, Seth Waugh. "We are also excited to collaborate with ESPN and communicate with sports fans through the reach of ESPN networks.

"The PGA is a major synonym for historic moments that affect all golf enthusiasts, and as we pass this iconic championship in May, we are extremely pleased that CBS and ESPN are presenting a product of the highest quality with the latest technology. a broadcast team that shares our mission to develop the sport of golf ".

ESPN + will also cover the training rounds for the three days leading up to the tournament, as well as press conferences and a live broadcast of the driving range.

Associated Press contributed to this report.