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PGA Tour Studios Launches New Era in Golf Content

Inside the cutting-edge PGA Tour Studios in Florida.

News Summary

The PGA Tour has officially opened its new PGA Tour Studios in Florida, a state-of-the-art facility aimed at enhancing golf content delivery. Spanning 165,000 square feet, the studio is equipped with cutting-edge technology and boasts eight production rooms, significantly increasing the amount of tournament footage available for fans. With plans to expand staffing and develop new viewing options, the PGA Tour is committed to revolutionizing the audience experience as the 2025 season approaches.

PGA Tour Studios Launches: A New Era in Golf Content

The PGA Tour is stepping up its game as the highly anticipated 2025 season kicks off with the exciting opening event, The Sentry. As part of this fresh start, the brand-new PGA Tour Studios have officially opened their doors in sunny Florida, right next to the Tour’s Global Home. This state-of-the-art facility, which took shape with groundbreaking in 2022, spans a massive 165,000-square-foot area, making it more than four times larger than the previous building dedicated to PGA Tour Entertainment.

Expanding Content Horizons

The main aim of this new studio facility is clear: to enhance content delivery and bring an even greater viewer experience to golf fans everywhere. Testing has been in full swing since the fall of 2024, ensuring that everything runs smoothly for eager fans tuning in to watch The Sentry on platforms like the Golf Channel, Peacock, and NBC Sports. Viewers were treated to breathtaking views from the lush Kapalua Plantation course in Maui, Hawaii, showcasing the beauty of the game.

Inside the PGA Tour Studios, the heart of golf content production, there are eight production rooms and eight audio-control rooms, as well as an impressive seven LED-equipped studios. Among these is a jaw-dropping 270-degree LED studio designed to immerse fans in the action like never before. The goal here is ambitious: to give fans more shots from their favorite players, allowing viewers to fully appreciate the excitement of the game.

Growing the Team

Currently, the facility employs a solid 180 individuals with plans to grow that number to a robust 300. This move comes in response to the ever-growing demand for PGA Tour content, particularly across various platforms. Historically, only a mere 3% of all shots were shown during broadcasts. Now, thanks to these advancements, that number has exploded to an impressive 28-30%.

New Viewing Options

As viewing habits evolve with technology, the PGA Tour is adamantly committed to offering comprehensive coverage that meets the modern fan’s needs. One exciting feature set to debut in 2025 is the World Feed, allowing fans from specific countries to follow local players more closely. This innovation addresses previous limitations in broadcasting capacity and capabilities, specifically those posed by the older 37,000-square-foot facility in St. Augustine.

As fans enjoy up to 5,000 hours of content annually on ESPN+, the PGA Tour Studios are set to become the center of production for both PGA Tour Champions and Korn Ferry Tour events. The studios also boast the largest golf content library in the world, totaling over 223,000 hours of footage dating back to 1920.

State-of-the-Art Technology

The new facility is outfitted with a video review center for on-air rulings, skilled sound technicians to ensure quality during live broadcasts, and even a stylish 34-seat theater. With advanced technology, including LED walls and robotic cameras, this venue stands ready to deliver top-notch production quality. Not only does the design accommodate current needs, but it also leaves 25% of the space unoccupied for future expansions.

Overall, the PGA Tour anticipates leveraging this investment to solidify its media operations, enhance control over content production, and maximize revenue generation. The future vision includes tailored content designed for different platforms and languages, effectively reaching global audiences and engaging fans worldwide.

Commitment to the Future

The PGA Tour Studios aim to usher in a new level of engagement with fans, transforming the way golf content is produced and consumed. By expanding their capability to capture action using up to 144 cameras during tournament broadcasts, this investment symbolizes the Tour’s unwavering commitment to evolve alongside the rapidly changing landscape of sports media. With the economic impact of the PGA Tour projects in Northeast Florida surpassing $1 billion, the excitement is palpable as the world of golf prepares for a thrilling future!