Golf’s European Tour has certainly upped its game with video and social media content in the past couple of years. And is it any surprise given that it has a sports media man, Keith Pelley, in the top job?
Appointed as the European Tour’s chief executive in 2015, Canadian Pelley was formerly president of Rogers Media and The Sports Network in his homeland.
When he landed the role with the European Tour he said that one of his main strategic aims was to “change the philosophy of everyone who is involved in our game”.
In short, the European Tour was not just in the business of golf, but also media and entertainment – and having the new mindset was key to promoting its players and events and also growing golf on the continent.
In an interview with GOLF.com in 2017, Pelley said: “People are consuming content completely different than they ever did before. And that includes our game. We need to be prepared to change with the times. I think innovation is critical to almost any business. And especially to all sports.”
‘Players have to buy into this’
One of the innovative ways to engage with old and new golf fans was to create social media and video content featuring the stars of the European Tour – the golfers.
Success stories for the European Tour have included “Little Interviews” (where players were asked questions by nine-year-old Billy), the “Awkward Reporter” and the superb “mannequin challenge”. This is on top of the usual event highlights, player interviews and how-to videos.
“We’re very proud of some of the content that we’ve produced,” Pelley said in his interview with GOLF.com in 2017. “And it really is allowing people to follow that culture of us as an entertainment-content company while always maintaining the integrity of the game and putting the players first.
“Let’s be honest, the players are the recipe for success. They have to buy into this. So everything that we have done, whether it be the Little Interviews, the mannequin challenge, the Awkward Reporter, the players all are for it, because they know that we’re creating entertaining content.”
Monty’s pythons
While the Little Interviews, Awkward Reporter and mannequin challenge were great, those videos don’t compare to the success of the Tour’s efforts in 2019. Namely its new content team and chase the ace videos.
The tour appointed “The Content Committee” this year where professional golfers brainstorm ideas. The committee – Thomas Bjørn, Tommy Fleetwood, Eddie Pepperell, Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood – got their heads together to come up with some concepts for viral videos.
“Monty’s pythons” – Colin Montgomerie’s look at the world of snakes – was one genius idea, while some of the others, let’s say, may need some further work.
Chase the ace
Of all the videos that the European Tour has created in recent years it has really enjoyed a viral moment with its “Chase The Ace Hole-In-One Challenge”.
Golfers are given 500 balls to try and achieve the ace while the European Tour cameras watch every shot and reaction.
In episode three of the challenge, the Tour hit the jackpot in April. Featuring three-time Tour winner Andy Sullivan, the video of the English golfer hitting shot after shot on the 171-yard par three 11th hole at London Golf Club truly went viral.
Sulli’s efforts – and some choice language – certainly entertained golf fans and non-golf viewers alike. With 17,000 likes and 1.7m views on Twitter alone there’s no doubt that the Tour struck gold with this seven-minute wonder.
Here’s what happened when Sulli chased the ace…
What next?
After scoring an ace with Andy Sullivan, the European Tour will be eager to dream up its next viral video idea. No worries though as the “content committee” will be busy brainstorming at its next meeting.
Over to you Messrs Bjørn, Fleetwood, Pepperell, Stenson and Westwood – forget the majors, you now have your work cut out… the golf world is waiting for that next viral video.
Mike Starling