Sports
The Masters Adds Two Hours Of Weekend Coverage On Paramount+
The Masters and CBS will boost broadcast coverage by five hours next year, including two hours on Saturday and Sunday via CBS’s Paramount+ streaming service.
Augusta National recently announced another high-level corporate partner, Bank of America, raising the total number of “champion partners” for golf’s most-watched major to four.
The addition of Bank of America does not affect the commercial load. The Masters indicated the broadcast would continue with only four minutes of advertising per hour.
The Masters Adds Two Hours Of Weekend Coverage On Paramount+
“The Masters Tournament has had the great fortune of enjoying an extraordinary relationship with CBS Sports for nearly 70 years,” said Augusta National and Masters chairman Fred Ridley. “Alongside our friends at the network, we are pleased to extend the tournament’s weekend coverage and ultimately deliver more live golf for Masters fans.”
CBS will extend Saturday’s show by one hour. Next year, it will run from 2 to 7 p.m. EDT, rather than 3 p.m. The third and fourth rounds will be shown exclusively on Paramount+ from noon to 2 p.m. and will be available on the streaming service until the 7 p.m. finale.
This extends the overall coverage to 23 hours, including ESPN’s broadcast from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
CBS also produces extensive digital coverage via The Master’s app, which includes features including Amen Corner, holes 4-6, holes 15-16, and featured pairings.
CBS has made its live coverage of athletic events available on Paramount Plus. The extra two hours on weekends will be part of its exclusive material, which is the first time it has offered golf-related content.
The Masters and CBS have had an annual relationship since 1956 when the network televised the last four holes with six cameras. Only 25 years ago, CBS broadcast only 10 1/2 hours of live Masters coverage, including three hours on Sunday.
Bank of America joins a tiny group of key corporate sponsors at the Masters, including AT&T, IBM, and Mercedes-Benz, all of whom have expanded their agreements. The club does not publish the specifics of those contracts.
Bank of America has had a long-standing partnership with Augusta National, serving as the presenting sponsor of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur since its establishment in 2019, as well as the Asia-Pacific Amateur and Latin America Amateur since 2022.
The Masters Adds Two Hours Of Weekend Coverage On Paramount+
“Through Bank of America’s support of our community initiatives and amateur events, they have become an impactful and committed partner in our organization’s mission in Augusta and around the globe,” Ridley told the crowd.
The Masters will be hosted on April 10-13 next year, continuing its history of taking place during the first full week of April. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion.
SOURCE | AP
