ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 22, 2024) – NBC Sports Next solidified its position as world’s largest provider of golf course technology and services in 2023 by connecting more golfers and golf courses than in any other year in its history.
NBC Sports Next is committed to helping golf courses and clubs – and the people who run them – better connect with their current and prospective customers through cutting-edge technologies. With a platform of more than 11,000 golf courses worldwide and growing, NBC Sports Next’s partner courses are able to promote their businesses within the golf industry’s largest online tee-time marketplace through its GolfNow and TeeOff brands.
In 2023, NBC Sports Next’s total revenue delivery to golf courses using its tee-time platforms and booking engine technology exceeded $1 billion.
The technology offerings of NBC Sports Next offer a one-stop shop for the solutions that operators need to promote, sell, communicate, and control every facet of their businesses. Golf courses adopted the new Golf365 suite of business software in record numbers in 2023, setting an all-time high with more than 700 installations. Golf365 provides courses access to the online marketplace, as well as tee-time booking technology, payment processing, and website and app development; Golf365 Pro is the most sophisticated, cloud-based business management platform in the industry for daily fee courses (formerly known as G1); and Golf365 Premier is the custom solution for private clubs (formerly known as EZSuite).
Since pre-pandemic (2019) to the present, NBC Sports Next has seen a 40% increase in rounds booked across its tee-time booking ecosystem, having facilitated more than 25 million rounds booked in 2023, nearly a 4% year-over-year increase – demonstrating that golf’s popularity continues to grow after the boom it experienced during the pandemic. Percentages for unique bookers (+6%), new bookers (+4%), as well as people returning to the game (+8%) also increased last year.
NBC Sports Next’s mobile check-in and pay technology, which was built to help golf courses streamline their check-in process by allowing golfers to check in and pay for their round of golf prior to arrival, also became more popular in 2023. A just-released GolfNow consumer insights study, which examined golfers’ attitudes and behaviors over the past year, revealed that 63% of the golfers surveyed pre-paid for their tee times before arriving at the golf course. On GolfNow more than 40,000 mobile check-ins at more than 700 courses were recorded in 2023.
Other collaborative services in 2023, like payment processing, allowed NBC Sports Next to help golf course operators enhance their bottom line and reduce the load on their staff. The convenient solutions make it easier for golfers to spend at the course and for operators to identify new sources of revenue while, ultimately, increasing customer satisfaction. NBC Sports Next processed more than $2.3 billion in payments from 3,200 tech partners in 2023.
The popular ClubBuy group-purchasing program managed by NBC Sports Next saved golf facilities an average of 17% off everyday purchases in 2023. ClubBuy is a free service and currently is used by more than 900 partners that, together, purchased more than $80 million in products and services last year – from food to office supplies to agronomy products – representing a significant increase over 2022 spending.
Through leading technology, services and collaboration toward common goals with both independently owned golf courses and the majority of the industry’s largest management companies, NBC Sports Next is poised to further build momentum that will super-serve its partners in 2024.
About NBC Sports Next
NBC Sports Next is a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to all NBCUniversal digital applications in sports and technology within Golf and Youth & Recreational Sports. Known for its sports technology product innovation, NBC Sports Next equips more than 30 million players, coaches, athletes, sports administrators and fans in 40 countries with more than 25 sports solution products, including GolfNow, the leading online tee time marketplace and provider of golf course operations technology and services; GolfPass, ultimate golf membership that connects golfers to exclusive content, tee time credits, coaching, tips and other benefits; and SportsEngine, the industry leader in youth sports club, league and team management technology and youth sports editorial content. NBC Sports Next is fueled by its mission to innovate, create larger-than-life events and connect with sports fans through technology to provide the ultimate in immersive experiences.
-NBC Sports Next-
Dan Higgins
NBC Sports Next
Dan.Higgins@nbcuni.com
407-496-8107