CBS Sports Outlines 2024 PGA Championship Plans, Technology Enhancements from Valhalla Golf Club
May 07, 2024 04:29PM ● By Kelsey Swire
CBS Sports is set to broadcast the PGA Championship for the 34th consecutive year and 41st time overall, with the 106th edition taking place at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., May 16-19. The network will offer multi-platform coverage throughout the week, highlighted by third and final round coverage on the CBS Television Network/CBS Lake Charles. Watch Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 from 12:00-6:00 PM Central.
For the 34th consecutive year, Jim Nantz will host the network’s coverage from the 18th tower, and he’ll be joined in the super tower by lead analyst Trevor Immelman. Ian Baker-Finch and Frank Nobilo will serve as hole announcers and analysts, while lead on-course reporter Dottie Pepper along with Colt Knost and Mark Immelman will offer perspective from inside the ropes. Amanda Balionis will provide reports and conduct interviews.
In partnership with the PGA of America, CBS Sports and ESPN once again will provide live, wire-to-wire coverage of the PGA Championship Thursday through Sunday, with CBS Sports leading overall production efforts. To help bring fans closer to the action, 125 cameras and nearly 150 microphones will be positioned throughout the golf course, along with nearly 500 record channels of Hawkeye and EVS (a live replay and highlight system). Additional technology and production enhancements include:
Fly Cams – A series of Fly Cam technology systems spanning the practice facility, the par-5 18th green, and the par-4 13th green / par-3 14th tee. The cameras will oscillate up and down to provide multiple vantage points of the golf course.
Bunker Cameras – A collection of robotic bunker cameras will showcase unique 360-degree greenside perspectives of the par-3 14th and par-5 18th holes.
Aerial Coverage – Multiple state-of-the-art drones will be in use as a live camera source to complement aerial coverage from the Goodyear Blimp, offering unique, scenic views from above during live action.
Shallow Depth-of-Field Cameras – Showcasing views of players inside the ropes with a cinematic feel, CBS will deploy a shallow depth-of-field Steadicam, along with two Atlas (mini shallow depth-of-field) Steadicams.
Falcon 360 – An immersive 360-degree camera will showcase picturesque panoramic views of Valhalla.
Player Walk-and-Talk – A popularized CBS Sports-led innovation that debuted with Max Homa at the 2023 Farmers Insurance Open (who went on to win), coverage will include “walk-and-talk” interview capability with a player “mic’d up” inside the ropes while completing a hole.
Toptracer – Toptracer broadcast technology will be incorporated on the practice facility in addition to all 18 holes (including tee box “high tracer” vantage points), using 3D radar tracking to provide the viewer with a true sense of distance, height and curvature. A staple of this technology will be tracing live tee shots on various holes showing the apex, ball speed, distance and curve.
Toptracer RF – Toptracer will outfit four RF mini cameras to provide ball tracking graphics and statistics on a player’s shot from the fairway throughout the entire golf course.
ARL Virtual Eye Side Slab Flight Track – Virtual Eye technology returns with coverage on every hole, as well as the practice facility. Virtual Eye uses Toptracer ball tracing capabilities on tee shots to provide an overhead slab view of the hole. Also returning will be full page displays detailing how golfers played certain holes during previous rounds, as well as statistical insight and virtual flyover animations, giving a second shot perspective once the ball comes to rest.
PinPoint Wind Analysis– Numerous anemometers measuring wind speed, direction and daily wind trends will be strategically placed around the course to capture wind data on each hole and how it may influence player shot choices.
GOLFTEC OptiMotion Swing Analysis Technology – Initially implemented during CBS Sports’ coverage of the PGA TOUR’s West Coast Swing, these swing breakdowns utilize GOLFTEC’s OptiMotion technology to present viewers with biomechanical swing data on things like hip turn and shoulder tilt, while also comparing and contrasting to other golfers.
CBS Sports coverage is led by coordinating producer Sellers Shy, along with Jim Rikhoff, and directed by lead director Steve Milton, along with Bob Matina. Chris Svendsen and Bryan Kosowski serve as replay producers. David Berson is President & CEO, CBS Sports. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Executive Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.
CBS Sports Sets Stage for 106th PGA Championship with Two Specials on CBS & Paramount+, Including “One Moment in Time: Michael Block’s Miracle in May”
On the eve of PGA Championship week, the CBS Television Network and Paramount+ will air a pair of specials to help prepare viewers for the week ahead: “One Moment in Time: Michael Block’s Miracle in May,” airing Saturday, May 11 (2:00 PM, ET), and “PGA Championship Preview,” airing Sunday, May 12 (2:00 PM, ET).
CBS Sports Network’s PGA Championship Programming
CBS Sports Network, the 24-hour television home of CBS Sports, will provide extensive shoulder programming surrounding the 106th PGA Championship:
PGA Championship On the Range: Coverage will air live on CBS Sports Network from the tournament practice range on Thursday and Friday (11:00 AM, ET – 1:00 PM, ET), featuring player interviews and analysis. Shane Bacon will host and be joined by analysts Michael Breed and Brian Crowell, along with contributors Hally Leadbetter and Roger Steele.
PGA Championship Clubhouse Report: Following the conclusion of each round (Thursday-Sunday, 8:00-9:00 PM, ET) CBS Sports Network will recap the day with highlights, analysis and player interviews. Kelly Tilghman hosts and will be joined by Steele, Breed, Crowell and Leadbetter.
PGA Championship Replay: CBS Sports Network’s PGA Championship programming will include encores of CBS Sports’ third and final-round broadcasts of the tournament, with the third round re-airing Sunday morning (May 19) from 6:00-10:00 AM, ET, and the final round re-airing Sunday evening from 9:00 PM-3:00 AM, ET.
PGA Championship Archives: Leading up to the first round of competition, CBS Sports Network on Monday and Tuesday (May 13-14) will air PGA Championship Archives, featuring memorable highlights of previous editions of the tournament.
CBS Sports HQ, the free 24/7 streaming sports news network, will feature previews, live updates, look-ins, recaps and more beginning Monday, May 13, with host Joe Musso alongside Kyle Porter, Michael Breed, Rick Gehman, Mark Immelman and Doug Bell. CBS SPORTS HQ SPOTLIGHT, the daily sports information show on CBS Sports Network, also will break down all the storylines and action throughout the week. Coverage from THE FIRST CUT will include shows on-site at Valhalla during the first two rounds, along with podcast recaps and extended post-round coverage on CBS Sports HQ. Additionally, CBSSports.com will provide live coverage and analysis throughout the Championship.