The PGA TOUR is redefining how it creates and distributes content with its new PGA TOUR Studios, a state-of-the-art multi-media, three-level production facility located adjacent to headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
It’s a 165,000-square-foot building broke ground in 2022 and was really put to the test with telecasts this past fall. The TOUR’s leadership says this is a pivotal next step of golf content production in a constantly changing media landscape.
“With PGA TOUR Studios now live, our team can deliver for fans new, dynamic productions that chronicle the incredible stories of our athletes in a new era of golf media,” said Rick Anderson, PGA TOUR Chief Commercial Officer. “This production studio will help usher in the next chapter for the PGA TOUR as fans around the world further guide our decision-making through their valuable feedback to our Fan Forward initiative.”
PGA TOUR Studios will soon deliver a previously announced new World Feed, produced and created exclusively for international media rights holders and their viewers with a customized graphics package and specific cameras focused on international golfers. This live broadcast will feature weekly on-site reporters and include up to six dedicated cameras at select FedEx Cup events, all providing increased coverage of international players, which also allows the TOUR to curate and distribute enhanced content across its social and digital platforms.
Following its debut at THE PLAYERS in March, the World Feed will be produced for all remaining events on the 2025 schedule. The TOUR sees this as a step toward producing localized live feeds to specific countries in their native language to improve the international consumer experience.
The former PGA TOUR Entertainment facility in St. Augustine was the home for TOUR productions since November 1997, and with the growth in popularity of professional golf came the increasing need for more technical resources to deliver a better overall experience here in the United States.
“PGA TOUR Studios is a landmark step in golf media, signaling a tangible investment to more deeply connect with our fans through energetic, compelling content that brings them further inside the ropes and closer to their favorite stars,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Every new technology and forward-thinking innovation we introduce is
about serving our fans and meeting them where they are, and the creative capabilities of PGA TOUR Studios will help us further that mission while showcasing the beauty of our sport.”
The brand-new facility now houses all media operations, including live production of PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, more than 5,000 hours of PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+, as well as an expansive roster of more than 50 original, social and digital media platforms.
PGA TOUR Studios is also home to the largest library of golf content in the
world, featuring more than 170,000 videos totaling 223,000 hours of content, with the earliest being a film transfer dating back nearly a century from 1920.
With hardware and ample space to accommodate both current and future standards, PGA TOUR Studios enables the TOUR to produce creative content – even beyond the world of golf – while giving its creators freedom to experiment with the latest cutting-edge technologies.
At launch, PGA TOUR Studios features eight production rooms, eight audio control
rooms and seven LED-outfitted studios, including a 270-degree LED display in Studio 1A. The studios are capable of monitoring and displaying thousands of video and audio feeds, all capturing action from up to 144 cameras or live feeds.
The completion of the campus helped the TOUR achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) BD+C Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council due to its sustainable design and operation with specific approaches to energy conservation, water use reduction and enhanced indoor air quality.
