ABC gone after '06?
PGA Tour Commissioner, Tim Finchem, is finalizing the Television rights for 2007-2012 and it is rumored ABC will be out of the mix on covering golf after the 2006 season.
For nine years ending in 2004, ABC had Curtis Strange in the booth. He was a familiar voice, but was third on the depth chart of the three major networks. CBS slid Lanny Wadkins into the chair occupied by Ken Venturi for 35 years in July 2002. It doesn’t hurt Lanny being surrounded by talent like Nantz, Feherty, McCord, Oosterhuis, Clampett, Macatee and Co. CBS also happens to be the home of that little tournament held at Augusta. Frank Chirkinian, CBS’s former longtime golf producer, helped build a dynasty that golf fans under appreciate. That is until we have to watch events on the other networks.
ABC tried Ian Baker Finch and Terry Gannon after Curtis Strange failed to get the contract extension he was looking for in 2004. Soon after Finch said, “He’s a good striker of the ball” for the 1,000 time, ABC realized they where hurting in the booth and needed to try something different if they where going to compete with the other networks.
Enter Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo in October 2004. The move was a gamble, but Zinger was a natural. Faldo took a while to get going, but his quirky wit meshed with Zinger’s brilliant no-nonsense style and suddenly made ABC’s golf coverage relevant again. In less than a year, ABC came up with coverage that rivaled NBC for second place among networks. No one would have thought ABC could compete with Johnny Miller and NBC, especially not in such quick fashion. Now it looks like NBC won’t have to worry about the ABC’s upstart trio. 2006 figures to be ABC's last year for PGA Tour Golf. NBC stands to pick up several more tournaments with ABC’s departure. ESPN will also cover some events as well in the new deal.
Lanny is predicable and conservative. Johnny generally does a good job, but will say thing just to stir up controversy. I felt Azinger had the potential to be the best of those three. Maybe Zinger and his English sidekick Faldo can find somewhere to continue their banter for more than one tournament a year after 2006. (ABC has rights to the British Open through 2009)
In other news:
Golfworld has listed their top 30 rankings for 2006:
Jim Furyk ranked #3 and Vijay ranked #4? Let’s show the Fijian some respect. Furyk is one of my boys, but last time I checked he's not Veej.
Ernie Els ranked #7, with Furyk (#3), Dimarco (#5) and Goosen (#6) ranked ahead of him? Els should have a banner year after blowing out his knee on holiday. Look out Eldrick, Ernie's back and we all know you need a rival.
For nine years ending in 2004, ABC had Curtis Strange in the booth. He was a familiar voice, but was third on the depth chart of the three major networks. CBS slid Lanny Wadkins into the chair occupied by Ken Venturi for 35 years in July 2002. It doesn’t hurt Lanny being surrounded by talent like Nantz, Feherty, McCord, Oosterhuis, Clampett, Macatee and Co. CBS also happens to be the home of that little tournament held at Augusta. Frank Chirkinian, CBS’s former longtime golf producer, helped build a dynasty that golf fans under appreciate. That is until we have to watch events on the other networks.
ABC tried Ian Baker Finch and Terry Gannon after Curtis Strange failed to get the contract extension he was looking for in 2004. Soon after Finch said, “He’s a good striker of the ball” for the 1,000 time, ABC realized they where hurting in the booth and needed to try something different if they where going to compete with the other networks.
Enter Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo in October 2004. The move was a gamble, but Zinger was a natural. Faldo took a while to get going, but his quirky wit meshed with Zinger’s brilliant no-nonsense style and suddenly made ABC’s golf coverage relevant again. In less than a year, ABC came up with coverage that rivaled NBC for second place among networks. No one would have thought ABC could compete with Johnny Miller and NBC, especially not in such quick fashion. Now it looks like NBC won’t have to worry about the ABC’s upstart trio. 2006 figures to be ABC's last year for PGA Tour Golf. NBC stands to pick up several more tournaments with ABC’s departure. ESPN will also cover some events as well in the new deal.
Lanny is predicable and conservative. Johnny generally does a good job, but will say thing just to stir up controversy. I felt Azinger had the potential to be the best of those three. Maybe Zinger and his English sidekick Faldo can find somewhere to continue their banter for more than one tournament a year after 2006. (ABC has rights to the British Open through 2009)
In other news:
Golfworld has listed their top 30 rankings for 2006:
Jim Furyk ranked #3 and Vijay ranked #4? Let’s show the Fijian some respect. Furyk is one of my boys, but last time I checked he's not Veej.
Ernie Els ranked #7, with Furyk (#3), Dimarco (#5) and Goosen (#6) ranked ahead of him? Els should have a banner year after blowing out his knee on holiday. Look out Eldrick, Ernie's back and we all know you need a rival.
posted by bullmizer at
9:35 PM
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