Turner Sports sells out of commercial time in Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson rematch for COVID-19 relief

Turner Sports has sold out of its commercial inventory in the upcoming rematch between golf icons Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson set to air later this month to raise money for COVID-19 relief. Capital One has signed on as the title sponsor of the event, “Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity.” Presenting partners include Audi, Michelob Ultra and Progressive. Cisco and DraftKings will have their technology and services integrated into the marketing of the matchup and telecast of the event. Callaway, Wheels Up and E-Z-Go, along with corporate parent AT&T and sibling HBOMax, are associate sponsors. While there are some digital and social ad packages available through Bleacher Report, House of Highlights and Xandr, the TV telecast has sold out, according to a Turner Sports spokesman. The lack of live sports amid the pandemic has created demand among viewers for any new sports content. The NFL Draft, which was shot remotely, averaged 15.6 million viewers for the first round, which aired on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network—up 37 percent from last year. Presenting partners are paying around $5 million for the sponsorships, according to people familiar with the situation. Mickelson beat Woods the last time they went head-to-head in a pay-per-view event in November 2018. But that event was marred by technical glitches, making Bleacher Report opt to stream it for free and forcing pay-TV providers to provide refunds for those who had paid. This time, the two will be joined by NFL greats Tom Brady and Peyton Manning—Woods and Manning will go up against Mickelson and Brady—and the goal will be to raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts. Turner parent WarnerMedia, along with the golfers, will make a $10 million donation and there will also be additional fundraising during the telecast, along with on-course competitive challenges for charity. Donations will go to Directrelief.org, American Red Cross, Save Small Business and the All in Challenge, which provides food to those in need. The event, which will be held at the Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Fla., will be simulcast across TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN on May 24 at 3 p.m. ET. All the players will have open mics throughout the entire competition, including the ability to comment directly with other golfers and the broadcast commentators. Register for Ad Age's TV Pivot where TV sales leaders, media buyers and marketers will discuss the future of deal-making and the way forward amid the pandemic.

Turner Sports sells out of commercial time in Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson rematch for COVID-19 relief

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