Why Now Was the Time for Golf Channel to Revive ‘Big Break’
"The idea of bringing back golf's original reality show with what is today's version of reality golf — it made all the sense in the world," the cable network's executive vice president Tom Knapp told The Hollywood Reporter.
In the early 2000s, Big Break (2003-2015) was indeed the Golf Channel‘s (and PGA Tour star Tony Finau’s) big break in terms of reaching mainstream television audiences. Tom Knapp, the Versant cable network’s executive vice president, hopes to replicate the original series’ success for a younger generation.
Knapp says he has long discussed rebooting his old crossover hit — Big Break last aired in 2015 — but something was always missing.
“We thought about and talked about reviving it, and we never arrived at the right production model, the right promotional platform, the right moment in time where we thought it would hit,” Knapp told The Hollywood Reporter. “For something like this that was as meaningful as it was for our network for as long as it was, I don’t think you bring it back just because or just whenever.”
When the show re-tees on Tuesday night, it is neither “just because” or “just whenever.” Golf Channel’s expanding partnership with YouTube Golf stars Good Good made this version of Big Break, officially titled Big Break x Good Good, possible.
“The idea of bringing back golf’s original reality show with what is today’s version of reality golf — it made all the sense in the world,” Knapp said.
Good Good is a group of young golfers who play out their lighter-hearted version of the traditionally stuffy sport to millions of YouTube views. Two active members, Sean Walsh and Matt Meneghetti, will compete on the new season of Big Break, and Good Good’s Brad Dalke and Tom “Bubbie” Broder will serve as non-playing captains. Good Good, which makes most of its money off of merch sales, has quickly become one of the top brands in golf.
But the Good Good brand is not brand new to Golf Channel audiences. The two first teamed in 2023 while Golf Channel was still a small fish in the very large Comcast/NBCUniversal pond. Without a pair of parent companies watching your every backswing, Knapp can operate far more as he pleases.
“We’re a complete free agent … we don’t have a network partnership,” he said. “We’re kind of who we were … I thought it was really important to get some of our old soul back.”
“Our personality as a network in the early days was defined as much by original programming as it was tournament production and events,” Knapp continued. “This new kind of entrepreneurial version of the Golf Channel — it felt a lot like who we used to be.”
Personality is entirely what drives Good Good’s success. Knapp is taking his channel in that direction.
Golf Channel’s median-age viewer is in their early to mid 60s, Knapp estimated. “I would venture to guess Good Good is at least 20 to 25 years younger than we are,” he said.
The future of television — and very likely golf — is streaming. That’s where Knapp needs to be.
A standalone Golf Channel streaming service is “in the plan,” he said. “We will have a direct-to-consumer opportunity. We are in the middle of all the thinking and developing of what that will be and when we will launch it, but yeah, absolutely, we’ll have a direct-to-consumer platform.”
With the Big Break x Good Good premiere looming (the winner will get an exemption into November’s Good Good Championship PGA Tour event) things are not all good good. Less than a week after our Zoom conversation with Knapp, an unrelated Good Good collab went viral for all of the wrong reasons.
In the Callaway x Good Good commercial, Good Good golfer Alexis Miestowski reaches for Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark’s Callaway driver with Good Good cobranding. Clark rushes her, knocks her down, stands over her and warns: “Do not touch my new driver.”
Perhaps golf was better without the edge.
“The PGA Tour believes in golf’s ability to bring people together and create a welcoming environment for all,” a PGA Tour spokesperson told THR. “We do not condone violence in any form, and the since-deleted video does not reflect our values or commitment to inclusivity and respect.”
Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick addressed his staff in an email since obtained by THR.
“We fully understand and own the mistake that was made. The advertisement was intended to be a parody of the movie Obsession, but the execution missed the mark and included content that should not have been published on our channels,” he wrote, in part. “In no way were we trying to make light of or support violence of any kind, but we recognize that intent does not erase impact.”
It is not especially clear in what way the ad was supposed to be an Obsession parody.
Kendrick told employees the company will “be donating all proceeds from the driver sales associated with this campaign to an organization supporting women in our local community.”
Good.
Big Break x Good Good, co-hosted by Bachelor in Paradise alum Wells Adams and former Big Break winner Blair O’Neal, premieres Tuesday on the Golf Channel at 9 p.m. ET; a “Meet the Players” specials airs an hour earlier.