Partner Article

The Golf Channel Invites Fans into the Action with Participation TV

As one of the oldest sports, Golf is rich in both history and devotion. Yet some say it isn’t as quick and exciting as other major sports, giving fans less of an involvement and investment in the game. While it’s true that there are very few resources that allow the audience to more deeply engage with golf, the sport has been studied just for this reason. The result of this analysis is a new partnership between participation TV innovators iPowow and The Golf Channel, who have joined forces to bring golf fans an interactive experience.

The Golf Channel kicked off the partnership by utilizing iPowow’s interactive platform during the Golf Central and Live From programming during THE PLAYERS Championship. To play along, viewers were directed to a special website by the on-air talent, where they were able to use a computer or smartphone to vote on questions posed during live segments. As the viewers answered questions, they were also able to track second-by-second results of the game as they were revealed live on television.

iPowow’s Participation TV technology has been used during a number of live sporting events, where it has achieved engagement rates of over 10% compared to the industry average of 1%. This is the first time it has been used in golf. Through the technology, television producers and advertiser are given the power to engage directly with viewers, bringing them closer into the on-air action, which in this case it the sport of golf.

The Golf Channel plans to promote the use of iPowow’s technology within its programming, as well as through its 2.3 million followers on social media. Viewers will be able to share votes via Facebook and Twitter, ultimately encouraging more fans to get in on the action. The 24-hour channel is available to more than 120 million homes in 83 countries and has exclusive partnerships with the world’s top golf tours.

THE PLAYERS Championship is the only announced tournament that utilized iPowow’s Participation TV technology, but it seems it won’t be the last.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Beth Principi .