Opinion & Analysis
Can Back9Network Compete with The Golf Channel?
Instead of focusing on birdies and bogeys like The Golf Channel does, Back9Network celebrates golf’s characters, cars, clothes and charisma. Until Back9Network — the significantly capitalized Hartford-based television network — launched on Direct TV this September, the golf community didn’t know what to make of what was essentially a digital golf content site for the past three years. Certain folks scoffed at the thought of competing with the Golf Channel, while others — including the non-institutional celebrity investors backing the company — literally bought into the concept.
The Back9Network is a new breed of golf TV and entertainment, but can it work?
How Back9Network Got Started
The original founder and CEO, Jamie Bosworth — formerly National Sales Manager for Odyssey Golf — got the company off the ground in 2010 by raising $30M in capital from celebrities such as Ray Allen and Clint Eastwood among others.
For its first three years, Back9Network produced digital content for the company’s website as it pulled together investors, negotiated TV contracts and recruited talent for shows. Approximately 60 percent of the dollars funding Back9Network hail from Connecticut-based investors including $5M from the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development. The company faced negative headlines when former Connecticut Fox News anchor Jennifer Bosworth posted scandalous photos on the company’s website, which raised eyebrows among state officials. In May of 2014, Back9Network acquired Swing by Swing — a Golf GPS App with the company tagline Golf Is Fun — along with their more than two million email subscribers.
While one can fairly question some of Back9Network’s prior mishaps, the company has jumped from 50 to 90 employees (job growth being the prime motive for the state’s investment) in the past few months and recently added key members to the Advisory Board such as Jim Remy, former PGA of America President, and Seth Waugh, former Deutsche Bank America CEO.
“Back9Network represents a real opportunity to fill a gap by entertaining and engaging those of us who love the game and the lifestyle surrounding it,” Waugh said. “I look forward to being actively involved on the Advisory Board towards realizing that goal.”
With some company history under our belts, let’s take a look at what the golf lifestyle network has live on Direct TV channel 262.
Ahmad Rashad Interviews Michael Jordan
Landing the Emmy-Award Winning former NBA TV celebrity Ahmad Rashad is a big win for Back9Network, as was Rashad’s interview with Michael Jordan that aired on October 28th.
I loved hearing Jordan talk about his dream foursome then call out Obama for being a sh*** golfer! I view Ahmad Rashad as the counter to the Golf Channel’s Feherty Show, which has landed countless premier interviews. If Ahmad can keep finding guys like Jordan to tee it up with, I think that this show will be a hit.
The Turn
Headlined by Shane Bacon — former Yahoo golf writer and Saint Andrews caddie — alongside co-hosts Erica Bachelor and Lou Holder, Back9Network describes The Turn as their “flagship hour of golf, pop culture, debate and entertainment.” Bacon brings both comedy, genuine golf knowledge and culture to the conversation. Bacon, Bachelor and Holder’s ability to extend the show beyond purely just golf will factor into The Turn’s success.
The Clubhouse
Headlined by John Maginnes — former PGA Tour Player and current host of the nightly radio show “Katrek & Maginnes on Tap”– and 19-year Golfweek veteran Jeff Rude, give us “real golf talk” on a show called The Clubhouse, which airs at 10 p.m. on Monday-Friday. Add in the lovely extreme sports woman Will Christein as a co-host and The Clubhouse has a chance to be a nightly staple to the golf community.
Direct TV to Cable?
Until the September Direct TV launch, Back9Network was just a website. Now, 20 million American Direct TV subscribers can turn on channel 262 and check out Back9Network any time. While making it to Direct TV is no small feat (less so having raised $30 million), Back9Network’s most obvious next hurdle is to get on cable where The Golf Channel is available to approximately 82 million pay television households. How the NBC Universal’s (owned by Comcast) ownership of the Golf Channel plays into this dynamic, however, remains to be seen.
On one hand, The Golf Channel might worry about a new player entering a space where it’s had zero competition. On the other, the Golf Channel has a lot to learn understanding why or why not Back9Network succeeds. If Back9Network brings new folks into the game through entertaining golf content, perhaps Golf Channel may offer more golf lifestyle oriented shows. Regardless of what happens, what remains clear is that Back9Network will struggle to formidably compete with the Golf Channel until they make it to cable.
Will Back9Network Succeed?
This remains to be seen. The ethos of the Back9Network’s content concerns the golf lifestyle and fun of the game. With respect to growing the game, celebrating quality golf content will be a crucial factor in retaining and attracting new golfers over the next decade, particularly within the millennial cohort. Millennials spend 18 hours a day consuming and interacting with digital content. Back9Network’s ability to leverage multiple platforms (television, web, mobile) in producing and crowd-sourcing authentic content such as golf trick shots will determine its success.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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John
Nov 17, 2014 at 7:26 pm
I frankly don’t think there is enough interest for one golf channel, much less two. I think perhaps half of golf channel might be about right. I want to PLAY golf not watch it, and I have barely the time to do that. I watch the Golf Channel most of the time when I am traveling, and there is nothing else to watch. Take the Golf channel, tournaments I have no real interest in and instructional shows that I don’t need or want. Perhaps on Masters week or US Open week I watch to get detail but that’s about it.
If they wanted to counter program, what might be of interest is classic stuff. Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf, old major tournament coverage of Nicklaus, Palmer, etc. The ’73 Open and Miller’s final round 63. Sort of a Golf History channel. That might work.
Back9 is swimming upstream covering a sport that is shrinking, not growing.
joe
Nov 17, 2014 at 2:28 pm
A most interesting article. Ihope they get on the web. Don’t forget “oldsters” love golf too!
James
Nov 17, 2014 at 12:50 pm
Maybe if they improve the instruction shows, show the old classic golf shows and then relate them to today as well, and get rid of the fluff, they will do great. Golf Channel has pretty much jumped the shark in my view.
milt turley
Nov 16, 2014 at 3:37 pm
There has to be a good alternative to the drivel of the golf channel! I find it unwatchable except for the tournaments which I mostly record for delayed viewing. If watching live, I mute the sound.
Mike Belkin
Nov 16, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Why would they try to just copy the Golf Channel? If they did that I don’t know how they could possibly succeed. They must be different I have to think.
Joker
Nov 16, 2014 at 3:06 am
What the Back9 Network should have done or should do more of in the future is purchase rights of all the historical footage and rare footage still unseen to this day and show them all from the beginning of time. I guarantee you that the purists would switch over from TGC if they knew some good golf from the 60’s is on, for example. We all know there’s still a ton of footage out there that hasn’t been seen in years
Mike Belkin
Nov 16, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Totally agree. Their ability to tell golf stories is crucial. Golf has so much history I think there is a lot of potential around this.
RD
Nov 16, 2014 at 6:19 pm
If the channel can survive that long. May be they have to pull the plug soon lol
don davis
Nov 16, 2014 at 1:39 am
good luck. I find myself watching less and less of the golf channel. I watch the tournaments with the sound off. The rest of the programming is usually pretty boring and hard to watch for long. They could all go belly up and I would still be out there every day trying to beat father par! It’s all fluff.
Mike Belkin
Nov 16, 2014 at 12:43 pm
Can’t disagree with you. But what could they to to not be “fluffy”?
Tip o'kneel
Nov 15, 2014 at 7:16 pm
I’d like to see these guys make it to cable. Frankly, I’m getting sick of the bozos on golf channel (except for DiMarco he’s a stud). How many times does Damon hack need to ask for a swing tip from a pro? The best tip they could give him is to relax and quit asking for advice.
And Gary Williams….this guy is the typical country club type that every 18 to 30 year old can’t stand. GC needs some competition for viewership. I’d like to see back9 give them a run!
Nick
Nov 15, 2014 at 6:36 am
Ahmad is the worst golf anchor in the history of golf anchors… Sinking ship with Ahmad as the anchor
gary m
Nov 15, 2014 at 1:44 pm
i totally agree….. he is a tiger woods homer !! i stopped watching the golf channel while he was on it. I can say i would never watch the back 9 network while he is on it.
On another note i love John Maginnes on satellite radio and would consider watching him on this network….
But Rashad ruins any network he is on…..terrible
Mike Belkin
Nov 15, 2014 at 4:21 pm
but if gets Tiger Woods than he gets Tiger Woods…
I doubt he can, however.
Oscar
Nov 15, 2014 at 3:52 am
The channel is a failure. Who the heck wants to watch famous, rich people get interviewed NOT playing golf? We’ve heard from them all, enough, with their scripted interviews of only the selected bits that they want us to see. A total waste of time.
gary m
Nov 15, 2014 at 1:52 pm
i agree with you as well…. there are way too many “crossover” athletes that think they can play high level golf and have to tell us all about it. That’s what happened on the morning drive for a while. True passionate golfers want the facts not all the b.s. and fluff. i dont care or need to know how many Ferrari’s Poulter has or about Phil selling his 6 million dollar house…. jealousy, maybe…whatever… it still isnt important to the purist.
Therefore i dont think there is room for multiple golf programming. At some point you run out of “golf related” stories to go around. We already get the morning drive replayed 2 to 4 times a day during the week.
Mike Belkin
Nov 16, 2014 at 12:44 pm
To each is own. You guys are definitely not the type of golfer they are pursuing. Nothing wrong with that, just a different target audience.
Bill
Nov 15, 2014 at 2:53 am
While some of the stuff on the network is a bit campy, but I like the show Golf Treasures where they show off all the cool golf memorabilia. Very cool to see stuff like this that the Golf Channel never had. The main problem with the network is that 75% of the time I turn it on it’s a repeat of something that’s already been on. I must have tuned into Rashad interviewing Bill Murray 100 times. It gets old REAL quick. Too many infomercials during regular viewing times as well. I think they need more content.
Mike Belkin
Nov 15, 2014 at 4:15 pm
They launched at a tough time as the golf season was coming to a close….I actually think they did that strategically to “soft launch” to get things out there and test the waters before the real golf season kicks in in April with Augusta. The question is how can they get people intrigued without a lot of golf “stuff” going on?
Robeli
Nov 14, 2014 at 10:52 pm
Flipped over to ch262 to gave a peek. Ehhh… why are the people so fat? O, not HD. Ehhh.. isn’t that SNL? I’m sure that looked like a skit from SNL. Switch back to ch218. Thanks, but no thanks.
Mike Belkin
Nov 15, 2014 at 4:16 pm
No HD is tough, definitely hard to be “legit” not in HD in this age.
Jeff
Nov 14, 2014 at 9:10 pm
It’s gonna be expensive to cover golf tournaments so they should focus on instruction, to grow their audience. Or to build a loyal one.
Mike Belkin
Nov 15, 2014 at 4:23 pm
I highly doubt Back9 will ever focus on instruction…it’s not in their DNA. They are all about the lifestyle. If you want golf instruction, watch the Golf Channel. Do you no think Golf Channel does a good job offering golf learning-based content?
Pat Robertson
Nov 14, 2014 at 9:08 pm
I want to like it because I want it to succeed. I want more golf programming options. The problem is I prefer golf to almost anything, preferably tournament golf. I’d rather watch the 10 year old junior state toureamer than almost any non golf show I’ve ever seen. What I’ve seen of the back9 network so far, apart from the Ahmad Rashad show, it’s pretty terrible. But if it could possibly lead to tournament coverage, or even “Live From” style major coverage, I’ll continue to be a supporter.
Mike Belkin
Nov 15, 2014 at 4:18 pm
I don’t think there is much demand out there for the type of niche tournament coverage you desire. Not that it’s not “interesting”, it’s just that I can’t see Back9 getting an “ROI” on sending a crew out to coverage niche championships. They are all about the lifestyle…for better or worse…
Mark
Nov 14, 2014 at 8:54 pm
How do you launch a TV Network in 2014 that is not in HD? The article does not even address this fairly important issue; would like to watch, can’t get passed the SD feed.
Mike Belkin
Nov 15, 2014 at 4:24 pm
I don’t have DirectTV….thanks for sharing this important point which I should have addressed.
Brad B
Nov 14, 2014 at 7:35 pm
Sounds like they’re aiming at the same audience Golf Digest is aiming at with its retooling ….
wonder whether Golf Digest will bring in more readers than it turns off.
Mike Belkin
Nov 14, 2014 at 8:44 pm
“Think young play hard” – is Digests’ slogan….definitely a similar audience but Golf Digest is more focused on “golf”
CT
Nov 14, 2014 at 6:50 pm
Ahmad is good friends with Tiger. Maybe he can work that for some exclusives. Give him a show, a series of interviews, or playing lessons, and the network will compete with Golf Channel.
Mike Belkin
Nov 14, 2014 at 8:44 pm
That would be enormous for the network however I highly doubt that they can pull it off
Dick
Nov 14, 2014 at 6:48 pm
I refuse to support anything with Shane Bacon. He makes the writers of GolfWrx look like New York Times best selling authors. His articles were simply dreadful
Mike Belkin
Nov 15, 2014 at 4:27 pm
Haven’t read much of his stuff, all I can say is that he seems like a great guy in person and seems to have his stuff together on air.
Tom D
Nov 14, 2014 at 5:04 pm
I was in golf publishing for about 20 years and witnessed the launch of many magazines and websites that focused primarily on lifestyle and/or tried to be edgy or cool. They pretty much all failed and the further away from the game they got (i.e., the more focused on lifestyle/being hip), the quicker and more precipitous the fall.
This is a totally different media and a different time, but I don’t give it much of a chance.
Mike Belkin
Nov 16, 2014 at 12:45 pm
It’s a very tall task. Not to say that it can’t be done, but a tall task.
JT
Nov 14, 2014 at 4:20 pm
Never come close–they are plain lousy!!
Pat
Nov 14, 2014 at 3:03 pm
This is going to fail miserably. Golf is a niche market and this network is concentrating on an even smaller more specific market. The only people that care about golf fashion are the upper to upper middle class which is a very small percentage of tv viewers. Also, most people could care less about Ahmad Rashad and his horrible interviews including myself. FAIL.
Mike Belkin
Nov 14, 2014 at 8:47 pm
While I”m not saying I believe that Back9Network will necessarily be around for the long haul, there are millions of “latent demand” golfers who want to play but are on the fence. Quality golf content leveraged on digital platforms (social, web, mobile) is the key.
The opportunity is large, bottom line.
Mike Honcho
Nov 14, 2014 at 2:00 pm
Strike 1: Not in HD. Strike 2: Some of the shows are trying to be too uber Fox Sports via staged, lame comedy, hipness and with some just downright bad writing. I’ve yet to find a show on there I will watch regularly. There’s absolutely no way I would ever watch The Turn with Shane Bacon on it. He was HORRIBLE when he wrote for Yahoo Golf and is one of the biggest Tiger apologist on the planet. Strike 3: ???? TBD, but at some point Ray Allen, Clint Eastwood, State of CT et al will be wanting some return on their investment.
Mike Belkin
Nov 14, 2014 at 3:10 pm
It’s a pure venture investment that will be a hit or not. I hope they succeed, it will take some time…..
Josh
Nov 14, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Ferrity?
Mike Belkin
Nov 14, 2014 at 3:12 pm
More importantly, who will be their “Holly”?