The PGA Tour’s adjustments to compete with LIV Golf look like they’re working.

This year, the Tour created six designated events with more at stake than ever, whether in the form of prize purses or points. Already, viewership is up across the board, according to Sports Business Journal.

• All but one one of the six events have enjoyed viewership increases on Golf Channel, CBS, and NBC.
• Golf Channel has seen a 15% increase this year.
• CBS is averaging 4% more viewers this year compared with last year, with just under 3 million. 
• NBC has also experienced a modest increase at 3%.

The Masters’ final round saw an increase of 19% on CBS — perhaps partially due to the farewell of broadcaster Jim Nantz, who will retire this year.

‘Drive to Survive’ Effect

Live events make up just one of the many success stories for the PGA Tour. 

Social media has gotten a 31% uptick in engagement, and ESPN+’s coverage of the Tour has gone up as well.

Even the Tour’s docuseries version of “Drive to Survive,” called “Full Swing,” has gained steam. The week of Feb. 19, the show was in Netflix’s Top 10 in the U.S. That same week, the show also made the top-10 list on Netflix for the entire globe.

Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to premium live sports properties as it shapes content strategies.

WBD CEO David Zaslav turned heads this week by telling CNBC that the company has a “building attack strategy” on sports and news — seemingly in contrast with his previous statement that “we don’t have to have the NBA.” 

But a source familiar with the matter said that nothing has fundamentally changed about WBD’s approach.

The media giant, which owns numerous entities including TNT, Eurosport, and Bleacher Report, is primarily interested in retaining sports rights with a broad appeal, including those of the NBA.

The network is willing to accommodate additional NBA broadcasters as it negotiates for new rights deals, provided that it retains its position as a broadcaster of top regular-season and playoff games.

TNT averaged 1.4 million viewers for its NBA broadcasts in the most recent season and had the top five cable NBA telecasts, per sources. The network added around 20 advertisers to its NBA All-Star Game coverage.

The network is taking a similar approach to MLB and the NHL, and will broadcast the Stanley Cup Final for the first time this year.

While live sports haven’t been announced as part of the network’s new streaming service, Max, U.S. Soccer is likely to be included, and other sports properties could be added before long.

Formula 1 is considering adding up to two teams — and a billionaire backer could tip the scales and expand the league’s geographic reach.

Calvin Lo, CEO of insurance company RE Lee International, is in talks with multiple potential entrants into F1. The FIA charges an entry fee of $200 million for new teams, though some existing teams want to increase that figure to $600 million or more.

“The financial part, believe it or not, to me, is actually not the biggest problem,” Lo told Reuters. “It’s actually gathering all the expertise … the mechanics, the whole team together into one unit.”

Lo, who is involved with the Williams team already, said there wouldn’t be a conflict of interest in backing a new team.

While he wouldn’t disclose his potential partners’ identities, Lo denied dealing with either the all-American tie-up of Andretti Autosport and Cadillac or the Hitech Grand Prix group, which already has a presence in Formula 2 and Formula 3.

Driving Expansion

Lo has said he wants to grow F1’s connections to Asia and has considered establishing a racing academy in Hong Kong.

F1 races around the globe, but 15 of its 20 drivers hail from Europe. The series has two Asian drivers, Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu and AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda. 

F1 held its first race in China in 2004 but hasn’t done so since 2019 due to the country’s restrictive pandemic policies.

Philadelphia’s government is conducting an independent study to evaluate the impact of the 76ers’ self-funded proposal to build a new $1.3 billion arena. 

Officials will examine the economic impact of the proposed arena — on Market Street between 10th and 11th streets — as well as study other potential effects on urban planning, parking, and traffic.

A recent survey found more than 90% of business owners, and residents in Philadelphia’s Chinatown opposed the Sixers’ attempt to build an arena near the neighborhood amid concerns over rising rents and the loss of its culture. 

Philadelphia’s African American Chamber of Commerce has voiced support for the proposed 76ers arena, citing the economic growth it could bring to the city. The 76ers also said it is committed to giving 40% of the arena’s concessions spaces to Black-owned businesses.

Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown saw a decline in Chinese population following the opening of Capital One Arena in 1997.

“Given the size and scope of this proposed project, it is too early in the process to know the specific impacts of the proposed downtown arena,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said.

Kenney didn’t specify who would be leading the independent study, leaving some local residents to voice further concerns during Wednesday’s meeting in Chinatown. 

Construction would begin in 2028, with a targeted opening date in 2031.