For immediate release
Thursday, January 19, 2023
GF SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES WORLD LONG DRIVE, PLDA, INKS, SIGNS GOLF CHANNEL NBC SPORTS
World long drive sports unifying and expanding to 18 countries around the world
Press kit: click here
Texas, Dallas (January 19, 2023) – World Long Drive will return in 2023. With new owners at the helm, GF Sports and Entertainment will see him do over 50 hours of televised coverage in the course of an expanded tour, the largest prize pool in tournament history, and a contract for 10 broadcasts a year with NBC Sports. on the golf channel.
The World Long Drive Championship is the largest domestic professional golf event of the year that is not affiliated with the PGA of America, PGA TOUR or LPGA. The first event was held in 1974, and since 2000, it has consisted of open, women’s, senior (45 and over), and amateur events.
GF Sports and Entertainment also acquired the Pro Long Drive Association (PLDA) in December 2022. With this acquisition, World Long Drive expands to 12 events in the country and serves as the only premier long drive tour expanding to over 30 events hosted by World Long Drive. International affiliates.
“We are committed to growing the sport of long driving and making it a competition where athletes around the world can make a living with this incredible skill set. We look forward to expanding and making it even bigger than ever, both domestically and internationally,” said the president of GF Sports & Entertainment. Sean Tilger“We know the sport’s fandom will continue to grow as we are able to showcase World Long Drive with our five-year deal with the GOLF channel and our commitment to 50 hours of national television programming.” .”
The World Long Drive Tour tees off March 10-12 in Mesquite, Nevada and culminates in the championship October 18-22 at Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta, Georgia.
“The World Long Drive is exciting, challenging and fun,” said the professional golfer and 2022 PLDA Championship runner-up. Bryson DeChambeau“I started doing long drives to increase my swing speed, and I just got hooked on hitting it fast.
Pro Circuit players compete for more than $1.1 million in prize money, the largest prize pool in Tour history. The competitor will be given the opportunity to qualify for the World Long Drive Championship at his eight qualifying events in North America, competing for a total of 128 qualifying spots. Amateur-level competitors from around the world eager to join the Tour can compete for the opportunity to play in the World Long Drive Championship at selected local host ranges. The opportunity is the first of its kind in the sport and will make long-distance driving accessible to competitors in more than 18 of his other countries, not just the United States.
“It’s safe to say we’re thrilled to have World Long Drive back on TV.” Kyle BerkshireThis sport and its athletes deserve to be featured on this platform and we are all excited to bring our audience many memorable moments and stories for years to come. . “
The schedule for the 2023 World Long Drive Tour is as follows:
March 10-12
WLD Mesquite
mesquite, nevada
April 14-16
WLD Hove Sound
Hove Sound, FL
May 5-7
WLD Mesquite
mesquite, nevada
June 9-11
WLD LaSalle
LaSalle, Colorado
June 23-25
WLD Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
July 7-9
WLD Port Rowan
Port Rowan, Ontario
July 28-30
WLD Connecticut
Portland, Connecticut
August 10-12
WLD West Bountiful
West Bountiful, Utah
August 25-27
WLD Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee (television)
September 29th to October 1st
WLD Oceanside
Oceanside, CA (television)
October 21st
WLD Celebrity Pro-Am
Atlanta, Georgia (Televised)
October 18-22
WLD Championship
Atlanta, Georgia (Airing October 22)
For more information, visit worldlongdrive.com, Twitter (@world long drive), Instagram (@WorldLongDrive).
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About World Long Drive:
The World Long Drive Championship is the largest domestic professional golf event of the year that is not affiliated with the PGA of America, PGA TOUR or LPGA. The first event was held in 1974, and since 2000, it has consisted of open, women’s, senior (45 and over), and amateur events. The World Long Drive Tour comprises over 12 events nationally and over 30 internationally, culminating in the season finale, the World Long Drive Championship. The World Long Drive Tour and Championships is owned and operated by GF Sports and Entertainment based in New York, NY.
World Long Drive partnered with PIVOT Agency from the San Francisco Bay Area to leverage partnerships to reintroduce brands and sports to the corporate market.
PIVOT Agency was founded in 2013 as a full-service sports marketing agency, building brand and cultural connections and forming alliances between consumer brands, athletes, sports, arts, causes, businesses and media.
About GF Sports and Entertainment:
GF Sports & Entertainment is a global events and management company that enhances the experience of live sports, entertainment and interactive events. The company owns two of the longest-running American tennis tournaments on the ATP Tour, the Dallas and Atlanta Opens, and the National Lacrosse League New York Riptide. GF Sports & Entertainment also runs ninja-focused events around the world, and is also involved in emerging sports, including Wolf Pack Ninjas, which has just completed the purchase of World Long Drive, an international long-distance driving tour. creating a concept.
GF Sports & Entertainment was founded in July 2015 by New York-based private equity firm GF Capital. For more information, please visit www.gfsportsandentertainment.com.
