Facebook Watch inks global distribution deal with PGA Tour

This week’s Farmers Insurance Open will be the first package distributed exclusively on Facebook Watch after the PGA Tour announced an expansive agreement with the social media giant.

The agreement covers more than 30 events throughout the year including the Players Championship and FedExCup Playoffs and will offer daily highlight packages, round recaps and player-specific profiles on the Watch platform.

PGA Tour vice president media business development Chris Wandell said: “We’re excited to expand our partnership with Facebook by delivering additional content for our fans.

“This is in response to our fans’ appetite for additional coverage packaged in a way that is convenient for them to consume.”

The expanded highlights on Watch will feature content from the Tour’s primary telecasts, along with content from PGA Tour Live, as well as the Tour’s OTT service featuring more than 1,200 hours of exclusive featured groups coverage in 2020.

Additionally, the PGA Tour will also look at engaging fans in its Facebook Group, the Gallery with interactive features using Facebook Live and Watch Parties.

In a statement to the press, PGA said the partnership will create a “robust and timely highlights experience” for fans around the world on Facebook Watch with content posted daily at the completion of each tournament round.

Facebook sports league partnerships lead Sidhant Rao said: “We’re thrilled to add PGA Tour recaps to our growing portfolio of sports highlights on Facebook Watch.

“Through this content, as well as products such as Facebook Groups and Watch Party, the TOUR will be able to engage its fans in exciting new ways this year.”

In 2018, the PGA Tour and Facebook teamed up to stream live coverage from The Players Championship and several other PGA Tour events leading into the 2018 FedExCup Playoffs.

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