Need to know which competitive bar to reach for with video service – look to DirecTV. Their PGA Championship golf tournament coverage is the type of differentiating program package that allows them to compete quite effectively, despite the lack of a triple play bundle. I’ll admit, the sports enthusiast in me is somewhat in awe, nevertheless, the PGA Championship package being offered by DirecTV is just the type of feature that will retain and attract video customers, and probably at the expense of their competitors. Consider the lineup, which includes extensive HD coverage:
- Four distinct channels, including: 1) Live CBS/TNT network coverage of the tournament itself ; 2) Featured Group channel which follows a single group’s progress around the course, with announcers providing insight on the live play; 3) Featured Holes channel will focus solely on two of the challenging par 3 holes on the Oakland Hills South Course; 4) Players In Depth channel featuring interviews, highlights, press conferences, graphics and up-to-the-minute stats
- On demand interactive features including: 1) Top 5 Leaders: Displays the top 5 current scores against par; 2) Leaderboard: Provides information on all golfers in the field; 3) Scorecard: Hole-by-hole stats for each player in the field. The current round and any previous rounds are included; 4) PGA Championship Trivia: A new 10-question quiz on the history of the PGA Championship appears each day; 5) Past Champions: A list of the winners and runners-up from previous PGA Championships
It’s a great demonstration of how one competitor can leverage core competencies, in this case video and sports, to effectively compete against all comers. Time will tell if IPTV and cable providers can “catch up” with DirecTV. They very well may. But for the time being, DirecTV is showing leadership and vision and taking full advantage of its capabilities. Give credit where credit is due.
