Arnold Palmer Invitational to Feature Fewer Commercials During TV Coverage

The PGA Tour announced a reimagined broadcast for this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The PGA Tour said player-caddie conversations will be prioritized during the broadcast of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

The PGA Tour said there will be fewer commercials during this week’s coverage of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge and that more player-caddie conversations will be aired.

The change will take place as part of PGA Tour’s “Fan Forward” initiative and will be in effect for the entirety of the tournament on both Golf Channel and NBC.

While speaking to the media Tuesday at Bay Hill, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan expanded upon the announcement.

“Going back to Fan Forward, I think if you look at, if you look at what we have committed to, that is to try and deduce as much as we can from our fans about what it is that they want, and to try and adjust, but adjust in real time,” Monahan said. “I think the fans are going to respond well, very well to that. We’ve heard from fans that they want to see more player/caddie interaction, they want to see more data, they want to understand more data.

“They’re going to get that uninterrupted, they’re going to get it unfiltered, and it’s going to give them kind of an inside look or inside scoop as to what’s happening in real time.”

The decision will be a welcome one for PGA Tour fans, who have been clamoring for more golf shots and fewer commercials for years.

“It’s all about bringing fans closer to their passion for golf, giving them even more access to the players, their caddies and the strategies that are defining the course of play. Fans can also drive the conversation through a new social-first initiative, connecting them to their favorite golf personalities,” said Raja Rajamannar, who is the CMO and COO of Mastercard, a presenting sponsor of the event.

This appears to be an important step in ensuring golf fans will be given a better product to watch during the most popular PGA Tour events.