Have you heard of Seven League yet?
According to the company, it “provides consulting and agency services to accelerate digital performance of the largest names in sport”. It has worked with every major league and professional sports team from the NBA to the NFL to the Green Bay Packers to FC Barcelona. Seven League, which was established as the digital arm of IMG Media in 2021, will now play a central role in the game of golf thanks to the management company’s renewed and expanded partnership with the R&A.
Martin Slumbers (Chairman of the R&A), stated that “we are thrilled to expand our partnership and to leverage their expertise at a deeper level as they continue to evolve as organizations.” Our long-term success is dependent on our ability to improve our media and digital skills, diversify our business, and ensure our championships are world-leading. This partnership will allow us to open up new opportunities and ensure golf continues to thrive 50 years from now.
IMG and the R&A have been friends since Mark McCormack’s time. For 50 years, IMG considered the R&A one of its most important clients. They have now entered into a 10-year partnership. IMG will provide digital services powered through Seven League and help the R&A develop its production and content offerings, as well as distribute international media rights.
Adam Kelly, President of IMG Media and a 22-year veteran of the company, said that the company has been focusing on how its services should evolve to meet the changing media landscape, changing sport landscape, and how to best serve our most important clients. “We’ve developed a solution that truly looks at the entire business from the viewpoint of the fan. It includes how we interact with the audience and how we create and grow value. This is where we’ve grown.”
IMG has for the first time embedded Seven League, a team of dedicated staff to the R&A. This will allow them to provide bandwidth and a resource to the R&A. IMG and Seven League can do what they do best, which allows the R&A to concentrate on what it does best.
Neil Armit, Chief Commercial Officer at the R&A, stated that “From an RNA standpoint, as we extend and deepen our relationship with IMG it allows us to leverage every expertise and the enhanced capability and ultimately, drive commercial success and performance.” “It is our commercial performance and the revenue that we generate that fund our investment in the development of the sport.”
R&A had previously stated that it would invest $200 million in golf over a 10-year span, from 2017-2026. Kelly believes that the partnership is more important than working with a property. It also helps the sport.
Kelly stated, “I believe that’s what makes the R&A so unique as an organization is their responsibility to grow the sport.” It’s not about getting a quick return on investment, but building the game and creating value for the sport.
Kelly sees the ever-changing landscape of golf as an opportunity for new players. Kelly cites LIV Golf, Topgolf, PopStroke, and the explosion of online influencers as examples.
There is always competition. He explained that this area is ripe for competition, on either the tournament or player sides, and everyone in the sport must sprint to keep up with the pace. But I can see that we are in a golden age for sport. In the fight for attention that is the latest Netflix series versus any other, you have to be able to cut through the noise. This is what live sport does better than any other. ”
What can fans then expect? Seven League can enhance products such as shot trackers and “live from range” segments. It also has the potential to create new products. The R&A is actively discussing virtual reality and is considering a VR Open. This would allow users to play one of the courses from the Open Championship rotation. It also blends archival moments so that fans can play a famous shot with VR.
Endeavor Streaming is also included in the mix. The direct-to-consumer idea will be an area worth considering going forward.
Armit said that it was a long-term plan and that there are benefits to entering direct-to-consumer. However, this is not an immediate pivot to a subscription or pay-per-view. She also noted the additional value Endeavor brings to help lighten dark markets.
Armit said that, despite the lofty commercial growth plans and new gadgets, the R&A’s primary focus is on making golf more accessible, attractive, and inclusive for future generations.
Kelly said, “I cannot think of anything more thrilling than trying to transform something so long-standing and yet has so much potential for improvement.” Kelly said, “There is so much more to do.”
