Attracting a broader audience: ACC puts its hopes on the 'entertainment factor'

Tahoe Daily Tribune - South Lake Tahoe, CA, USA - From a distance, a large female contingent looked like bees hovering over honey on the 18th hole of Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course at the American Century Championship Tuesday.

Actor Kevin Costner was playing golf for the first time in the tournament, attracting a crowd outside the mainstay sports demographic of 25- to 54-year-old men that golf tournaments like the U.S. Open and the Masters draw.

It's a new day and age for the world of golf -- at the courses and the television sets. More than 6 million viewers will tune into the tournament this weekend, and many are seeking sports stars and celebrities as much as good swings.

"This event is more appealing to women than the typical golf tournament in field, fashion, locale and format," said Kevin Monaghan, NBC vice president of business development. With advertisers like American Airlines and Korbel, the target audience of the event extends beyond the masses. The advertisers buy into an undisclosed package of television spots, signs, booths and auxiliary graphics.