Every Shot Live returns with a twist

Every player.

Every shot.

Live.

Live streaming of every shot hit at THE PLAYERS Championship, the highly anticipated innovation that debuted last year but could be seen for only one round because of the pandemic, will return for 2021 with a few new wrinkles never before seen in the history of THE PLAYERS.

First, the new technology will be deployed for an entire tournament, in which 93 cameras will capture roughly 31,000 strokes taken over approximately 430 rounds played.

Also, it will be available free through PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold on Thursday.

“We learned a lot during that one round,” said Scott Gutterman, Senior Vice President of Digital Operations for the PGA TOUR, who has called ESL one of the most exciting technological developments in the evolution of the TOUR. “Most importantly we learned that we can execute Every Shot Live across all 18 holes. We captured and served nearly 10,000 shot that one day.”

To capture so much golf in real time, every tee box will have an unmanned camera, and every green will have a manned camera. Every fairway will have at least one wireless camera.

Also, every tee shot will have a trace.

“THE PLAYERS has developed a tradition of innovation where we’ve been able to deliver new technology to golf, and we are excited to welcome Every Shot Live back for the 2021 event,” said PLAYERS Championship Executive Director Jared Rice. “With a limited footprint of fans onsite this year” – 20% of capacity – “we want to ensure those closest to this event – our friends and neighbors here in Northeast Florida – feel engaged with us.

“We know the impact of Every Shot Live,” Rice continued, “as well as the various opportunities our partners are offering throughout this community will allow for everyone to feel as though they are part of the action taking place onsite.”

It’s been, to be sure, a monumental undertaking.

There will be a total of 120 cameras on the course between NBC, PGA TOUR LIVE and Every Shot Live, which will use 93 of them. Every Shot Live will have 63 dedicated staffers (28 camera operators, 35 switcher operators in London) bringing fans closer to the action.

When he joined the TOUR 16 years ago, Gutterman said, the No. 1 question he got from fans was when they were going to be able to see every shot of a tournament. Now they can.

“A year has given us time to refine the tech we use to deliver the streams to our partners at NBC and the international partners that will be taking the stream this year,” he said. “Everything will be delivered through AWS elemental encoders on site using AWS Media Connect for distribution. We are excited to deliver the experience to our fans for a full four rounds this year.”

All of the coverage will be available to PGA TOUR LIVE subscribers on NBC Sports Gold, with opening-round play free to everyone for the first time.

In addition, those who bought tickets to THE PLAYERS last year will be offered a free one-week trial of PGA TOUR LIVE. Past ticket purchasers who qualify will be notified via email on Monday, March 8, with directions on how to sign up.