This week, the PGA Tour inaugurated its new PGA Tour Studios, a 165,000-square-foot broadcast facility designed to streamline and modernize its media production operations. Situated beside the PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, this facility boasts cutting-edge technology, addressing the escalating complexities of live sports broadcasting and extending the Tour’s global reach.
The facility comprises eight production control rooms, eight audio rooms, and seven broadcast studios, all outfitted with advanced LED displays. A standout feature is Studio 1A, which showcases a spectacular 270-degree ROE Visual LED wall.
The studios utilize studio robotics from Ross Video, including the recently launched Artimo camera system. The facility operates on an IP-based infrastructure adhering to the SMPTE 2110 standard, ensuring seamless integration with the PGA Tour’s production trucks—the PGA Tour Fleet. This interconnected system, facilitated by NEP Group’s Total Facility Control (TFC) technology, enables real-time management of up to 144 live camera feeds from tournament locations. The facility’s design allows for future expansion, with capacity for up to 12 studios and 13 control rooms.
Beyond the control rooms and studios, the facility includes six editing rooms and two voiceover booths. Its technical infrastructure includes Grass Valley production switchers, Calrec audio consoles, and Hawk-Eye replay systems. ROE Visual provides the LED walls and floors. Post-production relies on Adobe software, with high-speed data links ensuring efficient data transfer. Other key vendors involved include Appear, RTS, Sennheiser, Sony, TAG Video Systems, and Vitec.
A noteworthy feature is the centralized video review center, offering officials real-time access to every camera feed for on-air rulings. This is complemented by a 34-seat screening theater for content review and approval. PGA Tour Studios centralizes media operations previously scattered across various locations, encompassing live coverage of the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, and PGA Tour Champions. It will also produce over 5,000 hours of “PGA Tour Live” content annually for ESPN+ and oversee the Tour’s vast content archive (over 223,000 hours of footage dating back to the 1920s).
One of the studio’s initial major projects is launching a new “World Feed,” tailored for international audiences. This feed will incorporate localized graphics, announcers, and cameras dedicated to featuring non-U.S. players, aiming to enhance the viewing experience globally. Designed by Foster + Partners in collaboration with HLW International, PGA Tour Studios incorporates energy-efficient features, contributing to the Tour campus’s LEED Gold certification. In 2026, the facility will expand with the launch of PGA Tour Radio, further enhancing its podcasting and digital content offerings. It's also prepared for HDR production, aligning with industry trends towards higher-resolution broadcasting.