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CBS, Masters Team Up Again with Massive Masters Online Coverage

April 3, 2013 by 1 Comment

Masters logoWe’ve said it before: Nobody does online sports better than the combination of CBS Sports and the Masters. And if press releases are any indication, the duo is setting out to defend its title with a massive online coverage plan for this year’s Masters, which begins next week.

Forget having to validate viewership through a cable plan: More than 90 hours of live online coverage is scheduled, and it can be accessed via both the Masters.com live TV site as well as the CBSSports.com site. (We found the Masters.com site to be a bit better performing last year, but it’s simply a matter of personal preference. They will both get you to where you want to go, which is live online coverage.)

We are also guessing all the online coverage will also be available through the Masters app, though no press release yet on whether or not there are more goodies in the apps. From what we hear last year’s iPad app really was magnificent. Looks like iPad, iPhone and Android are all supported again this year.

While the online stuff from the Masters will be different from the simulcast TV coverage we’ve seen for regular tour stops this year (and by the way — what a great treat that service is for us lucky Comcast customers), there’s still enough online to keep you satisfied for the few hours you won’t be in front of your couch during golf’s “holy weekend.” Or, let online be your “second screen” since the online offerings include the always-popular Amen Corner channel (coverage of holes 11, 12 and 13), another channel for the underrated 15th and 16th holes, plus two “featured group” channels.

There’s also a Masters studio show, recaps, and highlights from the Par 3 contest but really, the thing we want and the thing we get at the Masters is an unbelievable amount of online coverage. TV coverage, by the way, will be on ESPN Thursday and Friday (3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern time, both days) and CBS on the weekend, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m Saturday, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. But online coverage starts earlier — the Amen Corner cam is scheduled to go live at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, with the others following later on.

No word yet whether or not we’ll be able to use WatchESPN to see simulcast coverage Thursday and Friday — we’ll check that out by next week. ESPN will also show the Par 3 contest live on Wednesday, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, but wondering how many people are like me… I don’t want to jinx my Masters viewing by watching the Par 3 contest since… well, you know. Anyway: we usually don’t do this but the full CBS press release with all the details and times is below. Enjoy.

Masters Live on CBSSports.com Returns for 2013 Masters®

Four channels of live golf action let fans follow the Masters Tournament on CBSSports.com and Masters.com

NEW YORK, NY, and AUGUSTA, GA, April 3, 2013 – CBSSports.com, in conjunction with Masters.com, CBS Sports and the Masters Tournament, today announced that Masters Live, live full day video coverage from the Augusta National Golf Club, will return for the 2013 Masters Tournament. With four live channels of golf action, Masters Live will be presented throughout the week of the 2013 Masters, April 8-14, providing more than 90 hours of live video from Augusta National.

The 2013 Masters Live suite of video productions features a line-up of four channels of live golf action from the Masters, including:

● Masters On The Range: Now in its third year, the live show originating from the Tournament Practice Range at Augusta National will be available on CBSSports.com, Masters.com and CBS Sports Network. Presented on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Masters week on CBSSports.com and Monday through Sunday on Masters.com and CBS Sports Network, Masters On The Range will feature interviews with players and analysis of the field leading up to the start of the 2013 Masters. Brian Crowell, Billy Kratzert and Bobby Clampett will provide commentary and analysis for Masters On The Range.

● Amen Corner: Live streaming video of the 11th, 12th and 13th holes from Augusta National. Grant Boone and Matt Gogel will provide commentary and analysis for Amen Corner.

● Hole Nos. 15 & 16: Live streaming video of the 15th and 16th holes from Augusta National. Jerry Foltz and Billy Ray Brown will serve as the announcers for 15 & 16.

● Featured Group: Live streaming video of selected groupings as they play hole Nos. 10-18 from Augusta National. Andrew Catalon and Kratzert will be providing commentary and analysis of the featured groupings.

Immediately following the conclusion of CBS Sports’ television coverage on Saturday and Sunday, CBSSports.com will present a Masters Live Weekend Recap Show. Hosted by Boone and Gogel, the Masters Live Weekend Recap Show will review all of Saturday’s and Sunday’s action and be available live and on demand.

In addition to the four channels of live golf action and the Masters Live Weekend Recap Show, CBSSports.com will present the following video highlights from the 2013 Masters Tournament:

Highlights from the Par 3 Contest: First played in 1960, the Par 3 Contest has become a beloved Wednesday tradition at the Masters. The 2013 Masters Par 3 Contest will be held on Wednesday, April 10. CBSSports.com will provide video highlights of the action.

Press Room: Video highlights of player interviews conducted in the Interview Room from Augusta National.

Tournament Highlights: Video highlights of play from each day of the 2013 Masters Tournament.

Historical Highlights on Demand: On-demand video of memorable highlights and classic moments from past Masters Tournaments.

Augusta National Aerials: On-demand video fly-overs of the Augusta National Golf Club, allowing fans to enjoy the beauty of one of the most famous golf courses in the world.

All elements of Masters Live will be available free of charge at CBSSports.com and Masters.com.

The Masters, the most renowned tournament in golf, will be broadcast on CBS Sports for the 58th consecutive year, a record for the longest-running sporting event broadcast on one network. This year marks the 77th Masters Tournament, one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the year.

Schedule for Masters Live Video on CBSSports.com and Masters.com in 2013 (all times Eastern U.S.)

Masters on the Range (Presented Monday-Wednesday on CBSSports.com and Monday-Sunday on Masters.com)
Monday, April 8: 12:00 Noon – 2:00 PM
Tuesday, April 9: 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Wednesday, April 10: 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Thursday, April 11: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Friday, April 12: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Saturday, April 13: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Sunday, April 14: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Featured Group*
Thursday, April 11: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play
Friday, April 12: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play
Saturday, April 13: 12:30 PM – Completion of play
Sunday, April 14: 12:30 PM – Completion of play

Amen Corner*
Thursday, April 11: 10:45 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday, April 12: 10:45 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday, April 13: 11:45 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday, April 14: 11:45 AM – 6:00 PM

15 & 16*
Thursday, April 11: 11:45 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday, April 12: 11:45 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 13: 12:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Sunday, April 14: 12:30 PM – 6:30 PM

* Start and end times are estimates and subject to change. All times eastern daylight.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, ESPN, Golf, PGA, The Masters, Tiger Woods Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Watching Golf this Week: Northern Trust Open

February 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Northern Trust Open logoWill it be Phil, Keegan, Bill… or Freddie? Those are the questions about possible winners at the Northern Trust Open, which is underway today at the famed Riviera Country Club outside of Los Angeles. Phil, Bill and Keegan, if you recall, were all in a playoff last year, the best part of which came at the end of regulation when Phil dumped a long putt on 18 and Keegan responded in kind. Then Kill Bill came through in the extra time.

The dark horse here is the “old guy,” Boom Boom Couples, who loves Riviera just like he loves Augusta. Since we were a little late getting this post up today we already know that Freddie is -3 for his first round, not bad for a Champions Tour kinda guy. This is a Golf Channel/CBS weekend, so online video is available for Comcast subscribers only.

NORTHERN TRUST OPEN

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE

Thursday, Feb. 14 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 15 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 16 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.; CBS, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 17 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.; CBS, 3 p.m. — 6:30 p.m.

LIVE ONLINE COVERAGE

Thursday and Friday, Golf Channel coverage via PGATour.com and GolfChannel.com; Saturday and Sunday, CBS coverage at CBSSports.com. Right now only Comcast cable subscribers can watch live online video on weekdays. NOTE: If you are using the PGA Mobile app to watch the CBS or Golf Channel online video, be advised that it only works with iOS phones and with some (not all) Android phones. There is no fix planned for the immediate future.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite) Thursday-Friday-Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. The live broadcasts are also available to subscribers on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

FACEBOOK
The tournament has its own Facebook page. Like it.

SMS ALERTS
Text NTOGolf to 94253 for tournament updates.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

The Northern Trust Open Twitter feed.
Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer. If you’re not following Geoff you are missing the online boat.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend.
Doug Ferguson is the lead golf writer for AP. Good Twitter insights that often aren’t part of your wire-service lead.

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
Pros and those who follow the PGA love the Riviera Country Club. We’ve never been there but the history is solid and the place looks great on TV.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST TIME?
Bill Haas, the least exciting member of the three-man playoff. Best part of last year was Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley with their back-to-back long putts on 18 to get into the playoff… which they both then lost to the steady Eddie, Bill Haas.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, Golf, Golf Channel, PGA Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Watching Golf This Week: Phil’s Tax Advice, the Farmers Insurance Open and More Golf Online… if you have Comcast

January 24, 2013 by 2 Comments

Too bad Phil Mickelson’s such a nice guy — nobody can really stay mad at him for long, even if he makes Latrell Sprewell-type remarks about the money woes of a millionaire. Maybe you heard about Phil’s kinda tax-rant from this past weekend? Wednesday the guy everyone loves to love in golf rebounded with a press conference where he blamed himself for saying dumb things, tossed in a few jokes and everything was OK. But we know the golf media — just watch the next time Phil wins, there will be a lame lead about “his tax burden increasing.” You read it here first.

What else did you read here first about golf? How about our worldwide scoop from last summer, about how the PGA Tour was going to simulcast all its live TV coverage online this season? Well that story comes true this week with the official kickoff of expanded live online coverage of pro golf’s top tour… that is, if you are a Comcast cable subscriber.

Confused? So are we after reading and re-reading the PGA’s official announcement of its new live streaming feature. Safe to say, the PGA is moving in the direction of having all its live TV available online, but there are a lot of moving contractural parts that haven’t quite been sorted out yet. But hey! It’s moving in the right direction, of MORE GOLF ONLINE. Thank you PGA Tour.

To put it simply: Starting with CBS’s coverage this weekend, all weekend broadcast coverage this season from CBS and NBC should be available online; weekday coverage from Golf Channel is also available online right now IF you have a Comcast cable subscription — and later in the year for other broadband video providers. The lucky Comcast subscribers and others later will also be able to watch live video via mobile devices, through the NBC Sports Live Extra and Golf Live Extra apps. Your best bet if you have questions about where to find live online video is to check out PGATOUR.com every week until this all gets solved and is easy.

No word yet on the Majors but we expect those properties to bust out online extras like they did last year — and since we never got around to giving out our 2012 awards, let’s just say that the online golf coverage champ is still CBS and the Masters, with the U.S. Open and the PGA a close tie for second. (The British Open needs to step up its game, in our opinion.)

And golf this week? That guy Eldrick returns to his favored stomping grounds of Torrey Pines. Now that the Phil “controversy” is out of the way we can go back to the story of the forthcoming year, that of Tiger vs. Rory. And the anchoring ban! Let’s ignore that for now. The overworked golf media can only stand so many controversies at one time.

FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE

Thursday, Jan. 24 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 25 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 26 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.; CBS, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 27 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.; CBS, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.

LIVE ONLINE COVERAGE

Thursday and Friday, Golf Channel coverage via PGATour.com and GolfChannel.com; Saturday and Sunday, CBS coverage at CBSSports.com. The PGA will also show live coverage of the 10th and 13th holes at Torrey Pines South at its Live@ page. You can also get live video via the PGA’s mobile apps, for tablets and smartphones. Cable contracts and wireless plans necessary. Right now only Comcast cable subscribers can watch live online video on weekdays.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite)
1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday-Friday and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The live broadcasts are also available to subscribers on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

FACEBOOK PAGE
Here’s the Farmers Insurance Open Facebook page. Like it.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

The Farmers Insurance Open Twitter feed. Beware of links to CEO speeches. You’ve been warned.
Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer. If you’re not following Geoff you are missing the online boat.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend.
Doug Ferguson is the lead golf writer for AP. Good Twitter insights that often aren’t part of your wire-service lead.

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
If you’ve never played, you should hit this bucket list course hard by the Pacific coast north of San Diego — one of the great classics that is open to public play. (And even at $229 a round, it’s a bargain.) And the scene of Tiger’s great 2008 U.S. Open win. Here is the Torrey Pines site, complete with its mystical music.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST TIME?
Brandt Snedeker. Remember him?

Filed Under: Apps, CBS Sports, Comcast, Golf, Golf Channel, Live sports via mobile, Live Sports Video Consumption, NBC Sports, PGA, The Masters, Tiger Woods, Twitter Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

CBS Plans Big Online Blitz for Super Bowl: Watch Online, Mobile, and oh yeah… on TV

January 20, 2013 by 1 Comment

With the Harbaugh Bowl lineup now set, NFL fans will be glad to know that CBS is planning to stream this year’s Super Bowl live online, for free, at this website, with apparently no requirement to download any software like last year’s broadcast.

The Feb. 3 game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, with lots of stuff beforehand. You can also “like” the CBS Sports Facebook page, or follow CBS Sports on Twitter, just in case you’re not getting enough pre-Super Bowl info.

What we really like, though, is the simple instructions for online viewing — “Bookmark this page to access the live stream on Super Bowl Sunday,” reads the CBS page. That’s a lot easier than last year’s online broadcast by NBC, which required viewers to download the Microsoft Silverlight plugin. Not good. Let’s also hope that they will sync the broadcasts this year, unlike last year when the online show was 3 to 4 plays behind the live TV, making it useless as a “second screen” app.

According to tweets we have seen from CBS execs, as well as this press release written up by Engadget, there are apparently going to be a lot of bells and whistles available online, even perhaps a fan-selected camera view. CBS’s Jason Kint was apparently beta testing the app during Sunday’s games:

Our only quibble is that CBS Sports won’t exactly show the game live on your cell phone — to have it stream via a cell phone or pad you need to have a Verizon contract and you need to download the NFL Mobile app, which costs $5 per month. No word yet whether or not you will be able to watch via the CBS web page via a mobile phone or tablet browser, but we will discount double-check that option so stay tuned.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, NFL, NFL Mobile, Super Bowl Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

NFL to Stream Super Bowl Again, This Time with CBS: Playoffs Also on Mobile Via Verizon

December 19, 2012 by 1 Comment

Good news for football fans — the Super Bowl will be available online again this year, courtesy of the NFL and the good folks at CBS. It’s the second year in a row the “big game” will be streamed online for free; fans will be able to watch online at either CBSSports.com or the NFL.com sites.

Last year, NBC’s online streaming of the Super Bowl attracted 2.1 million viewers, according to the league. NBC, which did a great job making the Olympics available online this summer, will also stream its broadcasts of the Wildcard Saturday NFL playoff games as well as the Pro Bowl, something I am amazed still happens. (I mean — why not just stream video of the players vacationing in Hawaii instead?)

Verizon, through its exclusive (for now) deal to show live NFL action on mobile devices, will show playoff games live as well, though you need a Verizon phone, a big data plan, and have to pay $5 per month for access to live action via Verizon’s NFLMobile app. If you’re stuck roaming around while the games are going on and have a Verizon phone anyway, it’s worth the small charge.

All in all, more mobile access to content is good — I wonder how many fans will be watching the game online while they’re at the game live? Good thing the Superdome has a good network.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, Live sports via mobile, NFL, Super Bowl Tagged With: , , ,

The UFL Started Play Last Week-I Think

October 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

When news of tremendous import breaks often lesser stories are lost in the mix so you may be excused that amid your rejoicing about the return of the regular referees for National Football League games you missed that the United Football League has launched its latest season.

At least I missed it. Then again if you went by the leagues’ web site you would have thought that the season started a week earlier even though a press release on the site on a different topic does have the correct day.

Its Facebook page says that it is having Internet issues and that currently the only way to follow the teams and the league is via twitter. However a quick look around at newspapers based in cities that have teams shows it is having issues with the print media as well.

The league has a broadcast partner, having signed a deal with CBS Sports Network which promises to broadcast two games a week for the course of the leagues eight week season, one each every Wednesday and Friday. It will also broadcast the Championship game on December 1st.

I actually root for the UFL to succeed. I just see huge challenges facing an upstart league that has a tradition of money problems really getting heard above the noise of the NFL and NCAA. It seems now that one or the other plays almost every day from mid-week on, and with the huge following for the two it is hard to play third string.

I imagine that it has talked with the NFL about serving as a minor league of sorts, which seems to make sense on a number of levels. A pool of players ready for games that NFL teams can call on in case of injuries and the reflected glory of being associated with the NFL and possibly even attached to an individual team could be the ticket to longevity.

The minor league approach is what the rival USFL is trying, and it has not appeared to make any headway yet but with a spring schedule it still has time. The UFL might not.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, Facebook, NFL, UFL, USFL Tagged With: , , ,
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