FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 22nd, 2016

BYTES: THE OPEN RANKS AS GOLF CHANNEL DIGITAL’S MOST-STREAMED EVENT EVER

NBC SPORTS DIGITAL “BYTES”

July 22, 2016 – Vol. 93

NBC Sports Digital “Bytes” is a collection of highlights, information and metrics for NBC Sports Digital properties. Previous editions can be found on NBCSportsGroupPressbox.com.

Golf Channel Digital Posts Most-Streamed Event Ever (58 million minutes) with The Open

Last week’s coverage of The 145TH Open ranks as the most-streamed event ever on Golf Live Extra – Golf Channel’s product for mobile devices, tablets, and desktops – delivering 58 million minutes. In addition, The Open delivered 600,000 unique users, also a record for an event on Golf Channel. Minutes streamed for The Open alone were higher than any previous quarter for Golf Channel Digital platforms (54.5 million minutes streamed, 2nd Quarter 2016), and Friday’s Round 2 became the most-streamed single day on record for Golf Channel Digital with more than 20 million minutes total. Golf Live Extra is powered by Playmaker Media.

NBCOlympics.com Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the “Magnificent Seven”

NBCOlympics.com is celebrating the 20th anniversary of 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team, dubbed the “Magnificent Seven,” winning gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta with several commemorative features. The competition featured one of the most iconic moments in U.S. gymnastics history when Kerri Strug, with her ankle screaming in pain and a gold medal on the line, sprints down the runway towards the vaulting table, flips and twists off, and lands on one foot. Strug is then carried onto the podium to collect the Olympic gold medal, the first ever won by U.S. female gymnasts, alongside her teammates.

Content, located here, includes:

  • The “Magnificent Seven:” Where are they now?
  • Highlights from the 1996 women’s team final, including Strug’s vault
  • Interviews with Shannon Miller, Kerri Strug and Dominique Dawes
  • The feature with the “Magnificent Seven” on NBC’s TODAY
  • Video of current Olympians calling play-by-play of Strug’s vault
  • 20 things you never knew about the “Magnificent Seven”
  • Quiz: How well do you know the “Magnificent Seven?”

Golf Advisor Hits 500,000 Reviews
Golf Advisor
 has reason to celebrate this week, surpassing the milestone of 500,000 reviews, which have helped golfers around the world make more informed decisions on where and why to play. Courses also have benefited, learning from the more than 239,000 golfers who have taken the time to share their opinions since the site’s January 2014 launch.

Unlike reviews in various golf publications which normally are done by industry insiders, Golf Advisor reviews are totally consumer driven—by golfers, for golfers. The growth of golf’s leading ratings and reviews website has been impressive, with reviews increasing by more than 27 percent year over year since its launch.

Said Casey Polivchak, director of golf and sales at Forty Niner Country Club in Tucson, Ariz., “Golf Advisor has been a great way for us to get valuable feedback from golfers, especially ones who don’t stop in the golf shop after their round.  It’s also a way for us to communicate with golfers who may have had a negative experience and, hopefully, work to improve our course and service for everyone.”

NBC Olympics Surrounds Rio 2016 with Record-Setting Digital Coverage

As previously announced, a record 4,500 streaming hours, including live streaming of all competition; TV simul-stream coverage of nine television networks; and first-time streaming to connected TVs highlight NBC Olympics’ digital offering for the Games of the XXXI Olympiad from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this August. In addition, Olympic fans will be able to access two apps, two digital-only programs, and an active news desk that will regularly stream Olympic updates throughout each day. Click here for more information.

NBC Olympics Hosts its First-Ever “Social Media Opening Ceremony”

For the first time ever, NBC Olympics will hold a “Social Media Opening ceremony” hosted by Ryan Seacrest, NBC Olympics’ late night host, on Tuesday, July 26.

Social media content creators including YouTube star iJustine, musician and comedian Flula, lifestyle blogger Marianna Hewitt, model Julia Friedman, Dine L.A. Director Stacey Sun, DJ and HBfit founder Hannah Bronfman, musician Justine Skye, comedian Anwar Jibawi, and professional surfer and Roxy model Kelia Moniz will be on-hand to participate in panels and games, serving up all the action to their followers throughout the day. As a part of NBC Olympics’ partnership with Buzzfeed, Buzzfeed Motion Pictures content creators, including “The Try Guys” will participate in the event.

In addition, four-time Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans, Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski, eight-time Olympic medalist Jason Lezak, and two-time Olympic medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson will be on-hand to give the influencers some Olympic-level inspiration and participate in the social fun.

The NBC Olympics Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat will post exclusive behind-the-scenes content throughout the day.

ICYMI on NBC SportsWorld

Joe Posnanski looks at the careers of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in “The Rivalry that Never Was,” here.

After Tom Brady lost his appeal on his four-game suspension handed to him because of “Deflate Gate” Posnanski explains why Brady is innocent here.

— NBC SPORTS DIGITAL —