Golf News Net Radio May Have to Go Full Time...

by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 10, 2009 3:13 PM EST Comment 7 comments

It sounds like the PGA Tour Network on Sirius XM is in trouble, mainly because Sirius XM is in deep debt trouble. Alex Miceli reports for Golfweek:

Financially strapped Sirius XM, the network’s exclusive radio satellite provider, faces a deadline for a bond payment next week that could determine the network’s survival.

Since the merger of XM and Sirius in July, the company has been trying to cut expenses, find $925 million to pay three bonds coming due this year and maximize revenue from its 19 million subscribers.

Sirius XM has been negotiating with the Tour since late 2008, seeking fewer personnel at Tour events. Recently, Sirius has sidelined Peter Kessler’s show “Making The Turn” on the 3 1/2-year-old PGA Tour Network, citing financial concerns.

Kessler could return, but the question looms: To what?

Sirius XM’s first bond payoff of $175 million is due Feb. 17, but in the eleventh hour EchoStar has purchased most of the outstanding debt. If Sirius XM cannot make the payment, it may have to cede some control to EchoStar or perhaps file for bankruptcy, according to analysts who follow the company.

So, here's the question. Is there really room for full-time golf radio on the Internet? The PGA Tour channel used to repeat Peter Kessler's morning show a couple of times during the day and its afternoon show as well, unless there was Tour coverage. There simply wasn't 24 hours' worth of golf radio talk each day.

I think there is a gap here that Golf News Net can help fill if it were to expand its programming. We do two shows today - The 19th Hole and LPGA on GNN, which returns this week. I could always put together good programming around other golf topics with other hosts. (I'm only one man and I'm sure you would get tired of hearing me.)

So my question is posed to two audiences - potential sponsors and listeners. Would you be interested in an expanded GNN?

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it isn't free...

…you have to pay the Tour for broadcast rights. PGA Tour Radio used to be broadcast right down the street from my office, and was put out over terestrial stations, but the people who paid the rights fees were not making enough money and cut it loose. They floundered around for a little while before being picked up by XM.

It’s a nice thought, as long as GNN has the money to pay the people and the Tour. PGA Tour radio is just a small part of Sirius/XM, and thanks to the FCC’s incredible foot dragging over the merger, we nearly lost both companies. Shame on the government. It took almost a year longer to get a simple two party agreement approved than any other merger process. The whole thing was borderline criminal.

Nobody really knows what Echostar has in mind – but Sirius/XM has a lot of technolgy behind it and almost $2 billion in income a year. PGA Tour Radio is pretty much small potatos in the system, but they do get a fair amount of attention during tournaments.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Feb 10, 2009 3:24 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, the PGA Tour Radio side

Would be a really expensive proposition. I don’t think I could swing the capital for that :) But, I may be able to piece the capital to broadcast from tournament sites more often, have a bigger programming lineup, etc. Jay Busbee’s doing a helluva job with his podcasts. Hound Dog and Karen are doing great LPGA work. I would bet that Golfgirl could do a great show. Why not have a network?

by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 10, 2009 3:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

it would be interesting

no doubt. next PGA Tournament you get to, drop by the Sirus/XM tent (usually by the media center, or along the first fairway) and have a look at what they have to drag around from week to week.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Feb 10, 2009 4:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I've seen it a few times

And it is a LOT of equipment. I could probably do it a little leaner, but not much.

by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 10, 2009 4:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

depends on a few things...

…how many people are you going to have on site ? how much start up cash do you have ? There ARE new pieces of equipment that are smaller, but they are running support for 5 to 8 people on site plus 3 more doing technical work.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Feb 10, 2009 5:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah

Thats what would make this a pretty challenging thing to do. I’m thinking of an idea of having a show with field reporters – basically smart fans that are going to PGA Tour stops. They can be the correspondent for the week and we talk each day about the tournament.

by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 10, 2009 5:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

sounds good, but...

…it’s just not that easy. As soon as you put more than 2 people online – you have to have someone to tell who to talk when – and you have to be able to talk while someone is talking in your ear (trust me – it takes a lot of practice). Hopefully, your crew of smart fans can tell the difference between the players in his group. (that’s happened, too)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Feb 10, 2009 5:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs