Turner Sports will journey across the pond this month to present 28 hours of television coverage of the 137th British Open Championship on TNT, while PGA.com offers unprecedented online video coverage live from the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. The Open Championship LIVE video player will broadcast live feeds directly from the tournament during the first two days of play on July 17 – 18. The video player can be found at: http://www.pga.com/openchampionship/2008/index.html.
Open Championship LIVE will host three channels to provide complimentary coverage of the prestigious British Open, giving fans an additional three hours to follow the live action. Channel #1 will tee off at 4 a.m. ET prior to TNT’s coverage and will provide a feed of live action for three hours, before switching to a simulcast of the TNT production until the rounds are complete. Channel #2 offers bonus coverage beginning at 5 a.m. ET by following groups at holes #16, 17 and 18 in a TNT-produced feed with commentary from announcer Brian Katrek. Channel #3 offers ‘Inside the Ropes’ access with highlights from the day, footage from past Open Championships and tips from PGA professionals.
“Turner Sports has once again integrated its television coverage with an upgraded online complement to provide fans a multiplatform experience, allowing them to see more hours of live coverage of the British Open,” said David Levy, president of Turner Sports. “We are fortunate that our PGA TOUR and PGA of America partners are committed to providing the most innovative and comprehensive golf coverage for the sport’s passionate fans.”
For the first time, TNT’s telecast of the storied event will include past British Open Champion winner Ian Baker-Finch, who won the Open at Royal Birkdale in 1991. Baker-Finch will serve as an analyst throughout the network’s four-day coverage alongside two-time Emmy® winning host Ernie Johnson and course reporter Bill Kratzert and course reporter/essayist Jim Huber.
TNT’s coverage tees off four days of coverage on Thurs., July 17 at 6:30 a.m. ET/PT with a preview show, followed by exclusive live coverage of the first round. The network’s production will also include technical enhancements and special features throughout the telecast, including:
• Total Vision: Super slow-motion gives the TV analysts the opportunity to break down the details of players’ swings.
• Golf Trak: Cutting-edge virtual technology provides ball placement on virtual holes.
• Memories of the Royal Birkdale: Ian Baker-Finch recalls his solo major win that took place at the historic Royal Birkdale course in 1991.
• Tiger at the U.S. Open: Jim Huber reflects on Tiger Woods’ riveting win at the 2008 U.S. Open and the injury that forced him to withdraw from the Open Championship.
• The Best Golfer Never to Win a Major: Jim Huber provides an essay on Sergio Garcia’s roller coaster ride in the majors.
2008 British Open Championship on TNT Programming Schedule
Thurs., July 17
6:30 a.m. ET/PT Preview Show
7 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET/PT First Round Coverage
Fri., July 18
7 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET/PT Second Round Coverage
Sat., July 19
7 – 9 a.m. ET/4 – 6 a.m. PT Third Round Coverage
Sun., July 20
6 – 8 a.m. ET/3 – 5 a.m. PT Final Round Coverage
Open Championship LIVE Schedule
Thurs., July 17 and Fri., July 18
Channel #1:
4 a.m. – 7 a.m. ET World Feed
7 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET TNT Simulcast
Channel #2:
5 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET Bonus Coverage: Holes 16, 17 & 18
Channel #3
4 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET Inside the Ropes
TNT will once again partner with ABC to share coverage of the tournament. TNT will televise daylong exclusive coverage of the first and second rounds, and early coverage of the third and final rounds during the weekend. ABC will air the duration of the third and final rounds.
TNT holds the top spot in airing more hours of major championship golf than any other television network airing 63-plus hours of British Open (July 17 – 20), PGA Championship (August 7 – 10) and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf (October 13 – 15) coverage. The network earned an Emmy® in the Outstanding Live Sports Special category for its coverage of the British Open in 2005, which included Jack Nicklaus’ farewell to major championship golf from the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.
Turner Sports, Inc., a Time Warner company, presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised sports programming. With events airing on TBS and TNT, Turner Sports’ line-up includes NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, the NBA, Major League Baseball, professional golf, PGATour.com and PGA.com.
Turner Network Television (TNT), television’s destination for drama and one of cable’s top-rated networks, offers original movies and series, including the acclaimed and highly popular detective drama The Closer, starring Golden Globe® winner and Emmy® and Screen Actors Guild Awards® nominee Kyra Sedgwick, and Saving Grace, a provocative new drama starring Oscar® winner and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Holly Hunter. TNT is also home to powerful one-hour dramas, such as Bones, Law & Order, Without a Trace, Cold Case, ER and Charmed; broadcast premiere movies; compelling prime-time specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is available in high-definition.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
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CONTACT:
Tara August
Turner Sports
(404) 827-2067
tara.august@turner.com
Megan Weems
Turner Sports
(404) 827-0297
megan.weems@turner.com
