Golf’s popularity continues to soar around the world, but how to reach new audiences ahead of the 2026 Masters? With the first round of this prestigious tournament starting on April 9, there is still time for the golf market to expand.
Marketing techniques and possible tie-ins
The Masters dates back to 1934 and is considered one of the most traditional major sporting events. Due to the small venue and limited number of spectator tickets, this is an exclusive event and requires admission nearly a year in advance. But that doesn’t mean organizers haven’t moved with the times.
Masters Golf Championships is the name of the official mobile app that contains live simulcasts of the tournament. You can check out leaderboards and schedules, or take a closer look at Augusta National’s most famous holes. Further advances such as virtual reality and augmented reality may help attract new audiences. The DP World Tour Championship in Dubai brings us the first golf event in the virtual universe of 2022, so maybe one of the majors should qualify this way too.
If the Masters allowed unrestricted access to documentary crews, the effects would be interesting, as the Formula 1: Drive to Survive series has proven to be hugely successful for motorsport in terms of broadening its audience and introducing new demographics.
Brand extension into the gaming field can also play this role. For example, in the gaming sector, branded online casino games reveal a possible marketing strategy. In the world of television, popular brands such as The Walking Dead and even Family Feud have made their way into the online casino format, demonstrating how different brands can be integrated in this way. This approach has been seen in other sports leagues, such as the NBA, which owns the NBA Super Slam license, showing how such a partnership can work.
Will a new TV series about golf attract new fans?
Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon will star in Netflix’s new series Golf. This is Ferrell’s TV comedy debut, so his fans will be eagerly awaiting it. The actor plays a professional golfer who becomes embroiled in controversy when he becomes the face of a new league that directly competes with the PGA Tour.
Ferrell plays a character named Lonnie “Hawk” Hawkins, and Shannon plays his wife. Jimmy Tatro plays their son Lance, who is also a professional golfer. The first season will air for ten episodes, with a release date yet to be determined. However, since it’s currently in production, it’s likely that it won’t hit our screens until after the Masters. If the event at Augusta National Golf Club is released at the same time, it may benefit from the promotion of “Golf”, which is also a smart marketing move by Netflix.
If the plot looks familiar, we need to remember that the LIV Tour has impacted PGA events like the Masters. While golfers can compete on both tours, it will be more difficult for them to qualify for the Masters if they compete in the LIV event. Marc Leishman and Dean Burmester were both top players who failed to make the Masters last year.
The history and tradition of the Masters should ensure that it continues to be regarded as one of the best golf tournaments. It may also appeal to a wider range of sports fans if organizers use the latest technology for their promotions.
