Dedicated Sky Sports golf channel

[swanny32]

I think there's loads that they could show on a dedicated golf channel. You've obviously got the relative tours plus the feeder tours. Then you've got the Ladies golf tours and feeder tours.
There could be player profiles where you learn about the player, his caddy, coach, what's in his bag, etc.
There could be the trick shot specialists as well.
There could be a rules programme where various scenarios are played out and then rulings given and explained.
There could be instructional programmes featuring top coaches and players alike giving advice.
There could be course reviews but where cameras actually show the course, the clubhouse, the employees, etc and someone is filmed playing it and then reports accordingly. This, of course, would require editing.
There could also be equipment reviews but I'm not sure how this would sit from an unfair advertising perspective as some viewers would think that certain brands were favoured over other brands.

There could also be a 'Soccer AM' style golf show. It's content would be light hearted in much the same vain as Soccer AM with special guests, etc. They could do silly things like get two touring pros to 'battle' over say three holes of a top course where they can only use their wedges and a putter. They'd be hitting a wedge 200 yards!

As I've said previously, SKY Sports isn't for me but if they broke it down into individual sport channels then I'd get involved.

As great as that sounds I don't think Golf has a big enough following in the UK to make it worth their while. I'd love to see Golf AM though.....beat the pants off Cricket AM which is just terrible!

 

[thelank1985]

I think a golf channel would be awesome! A good place where armatures can watch the pros and see some tips and reviews. Maybe GM could have a few tutorial slots . I would have thought there is a big enough following in the UK. How many GM copies are sold a month??

I would have thought it would be more used than the F1 channel as armatures will struggle to do F1 but we can all beat ourselves with sticks

 

[sev112]

Ladies golf fashion show ... all those lovely mini skirts and short tops mmmmmmm

 

[Grumps]

i do remember the golf channel but can only remember the big break show being on it

 

[Val]

A dedicated channel would be excellent but unlike what they do in the US I don't think they could fill a full day every day, shoes like Feherty in the states are great and the morning drive is pretty good too and could do ok out here. I'm unsure if big break and the Haney project would do it for fans out here. Sky show a lot of golf and could easily do a channel. They show currently European tour, PGA tour, europro, LET, Seniors and challenge tour. The also have European tour weekly and inside the PGA tour showsso well covered across the channels but could condense it.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Anyone know where I can get a Magic Club and a 'get out of any bunker' sandwedge now that the Golf channel is off air??

 

[Mary]

If Sky did a decent golf channel for, say, £10 a month I wonder how many golfers who don't bother with Sky Sports would subscribe to this?

 

[williamalex1]

The old 'golf channel' was free, even after I stopped sky the channel was still available using the free card.

If sky decided to make a dedicated golf channel I doubt they would make it available separately, as it would reduce their profits...at the moment anyone that wants to watch the golf must subscribe to all the sports channels as they move it about !

THATS why i stopped paying sky . they kept moving about all the sports from one channel to another , sometimes at half time during football matches ,first half on sky sp 1- 2nd half sky sp3 or whatever ,so you had to buy full packages . keep it on the same channel with some other sports

 

[User 105]

I've just got back from the US. When I wasn't playing golf or sat by the pool I was pretty much glued to the golf channel.

Feherty just kills me. Saw his show where he interviewed Maltby, and the one he done with 'The Donald'. Really interesting as well as being hilariously funny.

I got addicted to Big Break Atlantis, I think it was the golf, although it could be the not unattractive contestants :clap:

The instruction shows were pretty good too. Although that Martin Hall bloke 'School of Golf' gets up my nose for some reason, and he's English.

You think we get those Callaway ads a lot over here. We have it good !

 

[CMAC]

Scary thought, if we had one it might be run by Renton 'useexcitingvoice' Laidlaw

 

[need_my_wedge]

Auburn Warrior has some good ideas I like the pro's playing two club challenge. I really want to watch the Feherty show, have only seen snippets on Youtube and does seem a good watch.

They could add coverage of some of the celebrity pro-ams - I used to enjoy going to see the Fours Stars at Moor Park when I was younger, a lot of light hearted fun.

Would be good to have an updated "Round with Alliss", new presenter but same format, two celebs and a pro, plus a golfing presenter playing the top 100 courses in the UK.......or the world......

The course review idea would be great, could start with the top 100 but equally could just select any interesting nice courses.

Who do we have to email this thread to?

 

[GreiginFife]

They used to have the Golf Channel, the fact we don't have it any more speaks volumes I think.

Sky never owned the Golf Channel, this was an independent broadcaster that used the digital platform (like Eurosport are) their decision to withdraw the channel was never explained as they are under no obligation to do so at the end of their conditional access contract.

Sky have looked at a standalone golf channel but it was felt that there are enough reserved time slots for PGA/Euro and ladies golf across the 4 sports channels.
The F1 was a different story as it was something Sky wanted to regain the rights to but would have no available spaces for it due to the length of the broadcasts and the number of them (plus the varying start times due to how often it moves time zones).

 

[User 105]

I think the golf channel originally came with my Setanta subscription. My understanding was that the channel wasn't financially viable. i.e. Income from advertising and subscriptions couldn't cover production costs.

I think they'd have the same issue if Sky tried to do it themselves. If they added the extra programmes as suggested, that's extra cost. Could they re-coup those extra costs ?

They could do it by an extra subscription charge possibly, but then how many people would pay just to have a golf channel. I know I would, and probably quite a few folks on here, but it's probably not going to go down too well if they shift the current PGA, Euro etc to a paid channel !!!

 

[GreiginFife]

I think the golf channel originally came with my Setanta subscription. My understanding was that the channel wasn't financially viable. i.e. Income from advertising and subscriptions couldn't cover production costs.

I think they'd have the same issue if Sky tried to do it themselves. If they added the extra programmes as suggested, that's extra cost. Could they re-coup those extra costs ?

They could do it by an extra subscription charge possibly, but then how many people would pay just to have a golf channel. I know I would, and probably quite a few folks on here, but it's probably not going to go down too well if they shift the current PGA, Euro etc to a paid channel !!!

No, that's not the case. As explained above. The Golf Channel wasn't tied to Setanta it was owned by The Golf Channel which was an independent company and ceased broadcasting 6 months before Setanta as they had come to the end of the conditional access contract to access and use the broadcast platform.
A separate golf channel is something that Sky have looked at but it was felt unnecessary due to having enough broadcast spaces on the main 4 sports channels.
Opening a new EPG space for a Golf channel wouldn't result in PPV or increased subs as F1 has proved, it's just that from an effort versus output perspective it's not worth the work when we already have all 4 days of multiple tour events being shown on Sky.

 

[User 105]

Opening a new EPG space for a Golf channel wouldn't result in PPV or increased subs as F1 has proved, it's just that from an effort versus output perspective it's not worth the work when we already have all 4 days of multiple tour events being shown on Sky.

I'm sure I got it with my Setanta subscription, even if it was considered seperatly run.

The point I was trying to make was if they wanted to include extra content over what they do now, then they would probably need to have an extra funding source to cover the costs. yes, just moving what they have to another EPG slot would incur minimal costs probably. But if they wanted to add extra programming, that would ramp the costs up.

I'm not sure they could cover that from additional advertising alone, which is probably why they haven't done it.

 

[GreiginFife]

I'm sure I got it with my Setanta subscription, even if it was considered seperatly run.

The point I was trying to make was if they wanted to include extra content over what they do now, then they would probably need to have an extra funding source to cover the costs. yes, just moving what they have to another EPG slot would incur minimal costs probably. But if they wanted to add extra programming, that would ramp the costs up.

I'm not sure they could cover that from additional advertising alone, which is probably why they haven't done it.

No, it wouldn't. As I say the idea has been considered but it was not a cost implication that prevented it happening. Sky has access to lots of content through the contracts that they already have in place with the various tours and broadcasters. Plus the presenters already in place and no contractual changes required.
They would not also need "additional advertising" as there is already enough advertising stream queue that could be spanned out across an additional EPG broadcast platform (Sky don't show all of the advertising that is tendered for so there is enough "surplus").
F1 is, again, the marker - a new channel that has content, advertising and a presenting team, did that increase subs or go PPV? No, the only reason that became a channel on it's own was due to not having a place for it in the current broadcast schedule.

 

[User 105]

So the ideas posted above wouldn't cost them any more money then ?

Feherty, Big Break, Golf Course Reviews, Rounds with celebrities, coaching programmes etc. They can get\do those at no extra cost then ? Sorry that's just rubbish !!

 

[Val]

I'm sure I got it with my Setanta subscription, even if it was considered seperatly run.

The point I was trying to make was if they wanted to include extra content over what they do now, then they would probably need to have an extra funding source to cover the costs. yes, just moving what they have to another EPG slot would incur minimal costs probably. But if they wanted to add extra programming, that would ramp the costs up.

I'm not sure they could cover that from additional advertising alone, which is probably why they haven't done it.

Setanta had their own channel, it was not the Golf Channel UK that finished broadcasting about 18 months or so earlier.

 

[Val]

So the ideas posted above wouldn't cost them any more money then ?

Feherty, Big Break, Golf Course Reviews, Rounds with celebrities, coaching programmes etc. They can get\do those at no extra cost then ? Sorry that's just rubbish !!

Technically it would as they would have to buy these shows from The Golf Channel US however they do have a deal with CNBC (Golf Channel) for PGA tour coverage so negotiations should be simple.

 

[User 105]

That's the only point I was trying to make. There's stuff they don't have already that would cost.

So if I'm getting this

They could get extra shows, at a reduced rate.
They have advertising backed up that 'might' cover the costs without additional subscriptions.
Extra channel for it on EPG would be minimal costs.

So what was the reason why they wouldn't do this again ? Did I miss something ?