PGA TOUR’s commitment to fans continues to grow

Scottie Scheffler has established himself as the world’s most dominant player while awaiting the birth of his first child. Rory McIlroy is coming off an electric victory – and karaoke performance – alongside childhood friend Shane Lowry two weeks ago at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. And Wyndham Clark is defending his title this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, a victory that started his rapid ascension to stardom.

The PGA TOUR’s 2024 season has delivered compelling storylines thanks in large part to the debut of the Signature Events, which were established to bring the best players together more often. These tournaments – which showcase fans’ favorite players competing on familiar venues full of history – are the fruit of the PGA TOUR’s commitment to delivering the strongest product possible to its fans. That commitment only continues to grow.

“(The fan) from here on out is going to continually be the focus that we have at the PGA TOUR,” said Tyler Dennis, the TOUR’s Chief Competitions Officer, on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Championship. “Everything we do and think about is going to be about how do we make the PGA TOUR and the sport the best version of itself for our fans.”

The creation of PGA TOUR Enterprises has been a key catalyst to the TOUR’s fan-focused approach, allowing the TOUR to explore new innovations while also leaning on the extensive expertise found in the Strategic Sports Group. Enterprises’ inception was accompanied by a $1.5 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of American sports team owners, that brought some of the best minds in sports business alongside the TOUR.

“We’re proud of what we’ve done at the PGA TOUR, but I think we can learn a lot from other sports,” Dennis said. “Not only do we have a new set of expertise but we also have a significant amount of capital to invest in innovation. I think there's going to be a lot more exciting things to come.”

The launch of PGA TOUR Enterprises also made possible the unprecedented Player Equity Program, which aligns the interests of fans and players by making the PGA TOUR players owners of their TOUR. This creates a win-win situation where players benefit when the fans do.

The opening of PGA TOUR Studios later this year is one tangible example of the TOUR’s commitment to its fans. The new building will allow the TOUR to enhance how the sport is televised across the globe. The recent presentation by Theo Epstein, the executive best known for ending decades-long title droughts for two of Major League Baseball’s iconic franchises, to the TOUR’s Player Advisory Council is another example of the TOUR’s focus on innovation.

Epstein was best known as the general manager of the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs before working with Major League Baseball on recent rules changes, including the pitch clock, that have energized the sport. Epstein now is a Senior Adviser with Fenway Sports Group. Part of his role will involve guiding the TOUR through the same process that MLB undertook to improve the entertainment value of its sport.

“Every player is thinking about what is the best version (of the PGA TOUR),” Dennis said. “We know we want to be better for the fans. We know that we have an incredibly successful schedule right now, but where does it go from here? That’s the exciting part that we are focusing on.”