The PGA Tour is working with the aim of establishing collaborations with the leading golf content creators. Thus, this Friday it announced the formation of a Creators Council.
The Council will be composed of up to 10 popular content creators and brands who will meet periodically with the media, marketing, and communications team members of the PGA TOUR to develop shared strategies for content development that engage fans.
The Council will include creators such as Bob Does Sports, Bryan Bros Golf, Erik Anders Lang, Fore Play/Barstool Sports, No Laying Up, Paige Spiranac, Roger Steele, and Tisha Alyn.
“I am very excited to be part of the PGA Tour Creators Council and collaborate with such a talented group of creators,” said Alyn. “Social media is the future of golf, and together we are bringing a fresh perspective that will grow the game and connect with a wider audience in an exciting way.”
The creation of the Council comes after the PGA Tour has intensified its efforts to integrate the industry’s leading content creators into the professional game. In March, several YouTube creators and professional golfers competed in “The Q at Myrtle Beach,” an 18-hole qualifying event that granted an exemption for the Myrtle Beach Classic of the PGA Tour. In August, a pair of creators -Grant Horvat and Bryan Bros Golf- hosted a live broadcast of the PGA Tour on ESPN+ during the first two days of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Two weeks later, the TOUR launched its biggest venture: the Creator Classic, in which 16 creators played the final nine holes of the East Lake Golf Club the day before the first round of the TOUR Championship. The event was broadcast live on Golf Channel, ESPN+, Peacock, and YouTube. The YouTube video has amassed 2.5 million views and another 2.8 million views on the individual YouTube videos of the 16 participating creators.
The Council is expected to discuss possible future initiatives. The PGA Tour has disclosed the following discussion topics it hopes the Creators Council will address:
– Fan engagement strategies
– Collaborative content opportunities
– PGA Tour media regulations
– Improvements in PGA Tour events and broadcasts
– Evolution of the Creator Classic
In addition to regular meetings, creators will have greater access to the PGA Tour platform and network to create more engaging content that can serve both as standalone content and as complementary coverage of PGA Tour tournaments.
Tour officials anticipate that the Council will evolve, both in its priorities and its participants. The inaugural members will be part of the Council for one year, with new creators being added in the future.
“The creative engines behind the Council and the TOUR will help strengthen and grow our collective relationship with the fan community that loves to engage with golf and the PGA Tour through social media,” said Andy Weitz, head of marketing and communications for the PGA Tour/investor relations.
The Creators Council will meet for the first time in January, with subsequent monthly meetings. The group will also meet in person three times a year at certain PGA Tour events.
