PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — THE PLAYERS Championship continues to set the standard for fan engagement and experience, leading the way in introducing new ideas and trends that connect and engage with sports fans worldwide. In 2025, the championship will introduce a myriad of exciting features designed to elevate the event for fans across the globe. These innovations not only enhance the experience at TPC Sawgrass but also align with the PGA TOUR’s Fan Forward initiative—a data-driven, audience-centric approach to delivering what fans want most.

Launched in 2024, Fan Forward collected insights from more than 50,000 diverse respondents, guiding data-driven decisions to create the best version of the PGA TOUR. Many of the enhancements debuting at THE PLAYERS stem from this direct fan feedback, reinforcing the championship’s role as the TOUR’s premier platform for innovation. Fans can learn more about the Fan Forward initiative and the evolution of fan-first experiences at PGATOUR.com/FanForward.

THE PLAYERS, presented by Proud Partners Optum, Morgan Stanley and Comcast Business, consistently introduces enhancements that become industry standards. From the fan-first design of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course—crafted by Pete Dye to bring fans closer to the action —to innovative tournament technologies, THE PLAYERS has a legacy of pioneering changes that have shaped the overall PGA TOUR experience. These fan-favorite features—including video boards (2007), electronic leaderboards (1983), and local restaurant offerings (expanded 2013)—have established THE PLAYERS as the gold standard for fan engagement across professional sports, continuously elevating the spectator experience through thoughtful design.

Below are some of the exciting updates fans can look forward to at THE PLAYERS Championship 2025:

AI Course Setup Tool presented by Morgan Stanley:

At THE PLAYERS 2025, the PGA TOUR will debut a groundbreaking AI course tool designed to assist the PGA TOUR Rules Committee and enhance the setup of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. This tool will allow the Rules Committee to set tee and pin flag locations and generate simulations to see expected scoring results, driving distance and more. Tool sponsor Morgan Stanley believes in the power of pairing old school hard work with bold new thinking, which comes to life through this tool as it provides tournament staff with the ability to marry historical data from the course with current and expected course conditions. Fans can learn more about the AI Course Setup Tool presented by Morgan Stanley through a three-part series produced by PGA TOUR Studios which takes an in-depth look at the tool, its deployment at THE PLAYERS and the results of the tool through tournament footage and statistics. The tool will be used each week on TOUR following its public debut at THE PLAYERS 2025, and leverages AWS technology.

Game the Green powered by Comcast Business

Comcast Business is elevating the fan experience at THE PLAYERS 2025 with two cutting-edge innovations: Game the Green™ and the Comcast Business Pavilion. Game the Green is an interactive, first-of-its-kind, web-based application that lets fans predict shot landings on the iconic 17th hole Island Green in real time. Powered by Comcast Business’s advanced network, predictive shot modeling and live weather data from MachineQ IoT sensors, the game brings a new level of excitement to the course with daily prizes and a chance to win an all-inclusive trip to TPC Sawgrass.

The enhanced Comcast Business Pavilion is the ultimate hub for connectivity, entertainment and immersive fan-first experiences. Open to all attenndees, it features Gig-Speed WiFi, live PGA TOUR coverage via Xfinity X1 and interactive activations like the Comcast Business Skills Challenge and a next-gen golf simulator. Guests can also enjoy a full-service bar with digital ordering, explore Comcast Business’s secure networking solutions and engage in exclusive on-site programming. With live SiriusXM broadcasts, real-time video analytics and seamless connectivity, Comcast Business is redefining how fans and executives experience the game.

Putt for a Purpose presented by Optum

Optum is hosting a Putting Challenge at the Patriots' Outpost to benefit Wounded Warrior Project, offering veterans, and service members and their families an opportunity to support the nonprofit while showcasing their skills. Participants will have three chances to make a successful putt, with donations made for each successful attempt. Those who make all three putts will be entered to win a Rory McIlroy-signed pin flag. Additionally, Optum will hold a daily prize drawing from Tuesday to Sunday, with prizes like a TaylorMade golf bag and a Bushnell Wingman speaker.

PGA TOUR World Feed

THE PLAYERS Championship 2025 marks the official launch of the PGA TOUR World Feed, which allows the TOUR and its international media partners to provide fans worldwide with more customized coverage and storytelling of the TOUR’s international players. Originating just a few hundred yards away from the new PGA TOUR Studios, which opened its doors in January, the PGA TOUR World Feed is produced and curated exclusively for international media partners and their viewers, with up to six dedicated cameras focused on international players at PGA TOUR events across the FedExCup Season. The new, live telecast will be produced for all remaining events on the 2025 PGA TOUR schedule.

Creator Classic at TPC Sawgrass presented by YouTube

On the eve of THE PLAYERS, the inaugural Creator Classic at TPC Sawgrass presented by YouTube will bring together 10 top golf content creators for a back-nine showdown. Open to Wednesday ticketholders, the event will be broadcast on the PGA TOUR’s YouTube channel, as well as GOLF Channel, ESPN+, the PGA TOUR channel on Pluto TV, Roku, Samsung TV Plus, Prime Video, Fire TV, Tubi, Xumo Play and LG Channels. Participants include Bryan Bros, Fat Perez (Bob Does Sports), Gabby Golf Girl, Roger Steele, Grant Horvat, Kyle Berkshire, Tisha Alyn, Soly (No Laying Up) and a Barstool personality chosen via qualifier. The event begins on the par-4 10th hole and ends on the iconic 17th, with the top three advancing to a playoff on 17. Pairings and tee times will be announced on Tuesday.

ESPN BET on PGA TOUR LIVE

The dedicated betting stream returns at THE PLAYERS following its debut at the WM Phoenix Open. Taking viewers inside the world of “micro-market” betting – wagers that focus on a singular hole or shot outcomes – the feed offers a unique, engaging way to watch a PGA TOUR event. Host Jonathan Coachman and two-time PGA TOUR winner Matt Every will call all the action from the par 5 16th and iconic Island Green 17th hole on Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and on Championship Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fans can anticipate additional enhancements to the second rendition of the broadcast, including additional cameras covering featured groups, a new odds ticker and contextual graphics and new talent appearances.

TOURCAST Generative AI Commentary

For all 30,000+ shots this week at THE PLAYERS, fans will experience and understand the tournament like never before with new AI shot commentary in TOURCAST, available through the PGA TOUR app and PGATOUR.COM. From Thursday’s opening tee shot to Sunday’s winning putt, AI will generate commentary – with data from ShotLink powered by CDW – that gives context to what every shot means for every player. For instance: after a player hits a tee shot, fans will get real-time statistics in TOURCAST that illustrate the importance of a long and accurate drive, giving more meaning to the shot that was just hit while adding context to the significance of the next shot. The TOUR aims to transform fan experiences using AWS generative AI, which allows for deeper storytelling and understanding from ShotLink data in a variety of ways, including this new commentary feature. Every PGA TOUR event will feature AI shot commentary moving forward, starting with the first round of this week’s PLAYERS.

Enhanced Coverage and All Access

There are a variety of ways for fans to tune in and engage with THE PLAYERS in 2025, including internationally through the World Feed for the first time. Domestically, PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ will provide enhanced coverage through four main all-day streams in addition to All Access feeds with no commercial breaks, featuring natural sound with graphics and statistics of all 24 groups on Thursday and Friday until coverage begins on NBC and GOLF Channel. First Round Main Feed coverage will also be available on ESPN on Disney+.

Fans will see in-depth coverage of THE PLAYERS starting this week with the latest news and press conferences on GOLF Channel, continuing Wednesday with On the Range on PGA TOUR channels and the Creator Classic at TPC Sawgrass, then four days of enhanced tournament coverage worldwide across multiple platforms before ending with Sunday’s trophy presentation on 18 green. A complete breakdown is below:

• Tournament coverage (GOLF, NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports App, NBCSports.com): Creator Classic at TPC Sawgrass, LIVE tournament action, Sunday trophy presentation, LIVE FROM news and press conferences, The Cut, Spanish language telecast on Telemundo Deportes
• Featured coverage (ESPN+): Creator Classic at TPC Sawgrass, Main Feed, Marquee Group, Featured Groups, Featured Holes, ESPN BET, All Access
• International Tournament Coverage (World Feed): Dedicated telecast for international featuring LIVE tournament action and international storytelling, distributed to 39 broadcast partners with tournament programming in more than 200 countries and territories
• All Access coverage provides international fans the opportunity to see content from all international players, a feature and experience that continues to be unique to THE PLAYERS: Complete Coverage (GOLF+ France, MAX Pan-Europe, Disney+ Latin America); Select Group Coverage (MAX Pan-Europe, Sky Sports UK, U-NEXT Japan, Sky Sport New Zealand, SPOTV South Korea); Programming Enhancements (Sky sports, Eurosport)

Cosm

The PGA TOUR and Cosm, a leading immersive technology and entertainment company, are partnering to bring THE PLAYERS 2025 to Shared Reality at Cosm’s experiential venues in Los Angeles at Hollywood Park and Dallas at Grandscape. Fans in these cities can experience the PGA TOUR’s flagship event like never before inside Cosm’s state-of-the-art 87-foot-diameter, 12K+ LED domes, where the virtual and physical worlds seamlessly blend. This innovative presentation will transport viewers to the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes, capturing the excitement of golf’s most iconic three-hole stretch as the world’s best players compete on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course, featuring the legendary Island Green. Cosm’s broadcast will include unique camera angles on these historic holes, delivering an unparalleled, fully immersive viewing experience.

Roblox

This week during THE PLAYERS, the PGA TOUR is launching Ultimate Golf Simulator on Roblox, a new interactive experience bringing the PGA TOUR to the next generation of sports fans. Combining a classic Roblox game loop with the PGA TOUR brand, the Ultimate Golf Simulator will challenge players in an immersive “hole-in-one simulator,” where they can test their skills alongside PGA TOUR champions Viktor Hovland and Austin Eckroat. The experience will also feature a virtual merchandise store packed with fun and trendy golf merchandise, including THE PLAYERS gear and in-game wearables from creators like Bob Does Sports with their best-selling “Have A Day” THE PLAYERS hat.

Launched in partnership with PING, First Tee, and international game development studio The Gang, the next-gen sports activation expands golf’s presence in the virtual world, making the PGA TOUR more accessible to Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Roblox boasts 88.9 million daily active users across 190 countries, and more than 80 percent of users who visit Roblox sports experiences are under the age of 35. Monday, March 10, will be a free-to-play day, while the paid Beta version will be available March 11-18. The full experience launches Wednesday, March 19.

Michelob ULTRA

Michelob ULTRA is offering fans perks and access at this week’s PLAYERS Championship, the PGA TOUR’s flagship event held annually at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. As part of these enhancements, Michelob ULTRA is the proud sponsor of The Deck, one of the tournament’s most lively and social hospitality venues. Overlooking the approach shots into the 16th and 18th holes, The Deck is the ultimate setting for fans to soak in the action while enjoying a vibrant atmosphere. Featuring a mix of soft seating, televisions, and both covered and open-air viewing areas, the venue provides an elevated experience. Individual weekly tickets are available from Tuesday through Sunday.

Michelob ULTRA Greenside, the brand’s Superior Access fan experience, will continue throughout the PGA TOUR season with a chance for golf fans to win money-can’t-buy experiences, tickets, merch and other prizes. Fans can enter at Superior Access from any device. The Michelob ULTRA Greenside program will have a dedicated presence at all PGA TOUR events hosted at TPC Network properties.

NBC Sports Live Drone AR

Live Drone AR captures the skill of PGA TOUR players and the stunning beauty of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass like never before. Fans can experience towering drives in a whole new way, as augmented reality blends live aerial video with real-time analytics. This cutting-edge technology will be featured across all four days of the broadcast on GOLF and NBC Sports, as well as during Wednesday’s Creator Classic at TPC Sawgrass presented by YouTube.

Viewing Deck presented by Mayo Clinic

After reviewing the 2024 post-event surveys, it became clear many fans wanted a dedicated space to relax and gather during the tournament. In response, the Viewing Deck presented by Mayo Clinic will be introduced this year, offering prime views of the 10th green and 11th tee box.

Restoration of Iconic Oak Tree on No. 6

A familiar challenge returns to TPC Sawgrass, as an oak tree has been reinstated at the tee of the par-4 sixth hole. For the first time since 2014, players will once again navigate their tee shots under the strategically placed leaning tree, a signature element originally designed by architect Pete Dye to test precision and decision-making. The restoration honors the course’s history while adding a new layer of intrigue to one of the Stadium Course’s most distinctive holes.

PGA TOUR Fan Shop: A Completely Transformed Experience

The PGA TOUR Fan Shop at THE PLAYERS has been completely redesigned to offer an enhanced and immersive shopping experience. With a refreshed layout, custom fixtures and a dynamic atmosphere, the space provides fans with a premier retail destination on-site. This year’s selection features exclusive product launches and curated collections from leading brands such as Good Good Golf, Rhoback and Bad Birdie, alongside specialty items from local favorites like LaFarve and Flomotion.

Local Favorites Added to Dining Lineup

As part of its commitment to showcasing local flavor, THE PLAYERS Championship will add to its lineup of more than 20 local restaurants with favorites such as handcrafted bagels from Bagels R Us, award-winning burgers from Carolina Jax, and the Hibachi Party food truck, offering sizzling, made-to-order dishes throughout the event.