PGA to team up with Cartoon Network

No, an animated Tiger Woods won’t be appearing on an episode of Dexter’s Laboratory. However, the PGA of America is turning to The Cartoon Network to reach the next generation of golf fans.

The PGA of America and Turner Sports will announce Thursday an extension of their agreement to broadcast the PGA Championship through 2019. The agreement will be expanded to include Turner’s Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) as the PGA of America’s licensing agent in the youth marketplace.

Turner will continue to broadcast the Thursday and Friday rounds of the PGA Championship and early coverage of the Saturday and Sunday rounds before network television does. The agreement also includes complete coverage of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf and the management of the PGA.com Web site.

While specifics are not yet available, CNE will license products such as shirts and hats at PGA of America events and in retail markets. It also will use PGA.com and other social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, to reach the demographic of ages 9 to 17. Web-site users also could interact with PGA Professionals to receive tips, analysis and feedback. Live-action programming will be directed at young audiences.

“When leagues or a group like the PGA of America look to Turner to grow their sport, they look at our expertise,” said David Levy, President of Sales, Distribution and Sports for Turner Broadcasting. “Our expertise is in marketing.”

While the PGA of America is looking to reach the 9-to-17 demographic, Turner is looking to grow its core youth audience of 2 to 11 into that demographic.

“We are coming out of a recession, and we are starting to see slow, but steady, growth in rounds played and equipment purchased,” said Joe Steranka, chief executive officer of the PGA of America. “I said to [Levy], we have to work hard to ensure that we continue reaching families and young people for golf to be relevant in the future. We are getting a media company that owns that demographic. The Cartoon Network complements the PGA of America’s leadership in junior golf.”