Tag: Molly Solomon

Golf’s leaders frequently convene at men’s majors, but this week they gathered on LPGA soil at the Chevron to discuss how to drive the women’s game forward

“Imagine Lydia (Ko) and Rory (McIlroy) walking down the 18th hole together. How cool would that be?”

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Something unusual happened early this week at the Chevron Championship. Golf’s most important leaders gathered on LPGA soil to brainstorm how to drive the women’s game forward. Attendees of the inaugural Commission at The Chevron Championship in Houston included PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh and U.S. Golf Association CEO Mike Whan.

“We convene at the (men’s) majors and the industry comes together in various forms,” said LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “We just felt like it was really important to bring people to an LPGA event.”

The commission was hosted jointly by Marcoux Samaan and Chevron Chairman and CEO Mike Wirth. Other attendees included executive vice president of content and executive producer for NBC Universal and Golf Channel Molly Solomon, LPGA board chair and former KPMG chair John Veihmayer and LPGA major champion and television broadcaster Dottie Pepper.

Guest panelists included Olympic gold medalist Angela Ruggiero, co-founder and CEO of Sports Innovation Lab, Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women’s Sports Foundation and Angel City Football Club CRO Jess Smith.

“Mostly our goal was to educate them,” said Marcoux Samaan. “Level-set on where we are, where we’ve been, where we’re going, where women’s sports is more broadly. And then to really think about innovative ways to think about women’s golf and the LPGA.”

Marcoux Samaan said one of the most eye-opening topics to many in the room was the impact of the LPGA’s travel schedule. Organizers shared a social media post from Golf.com’s Claire Rogers that illustrated the way players bounce around the country and the globe in head-spinning fashion.

“We don’t have as much of an ability to control our destiny as much as they do,” said Marcoux Samaan of the LPGA’s schedule compared to that of men’s leagues.

“When we build the demand and build the understanding of how good our women are, we can help dictate the schedule a little bit more.”

Marcoux Samaan believes that shared resources with the PGA Tour around technology could make an immediate impact on the women’s game, such as ShotLink for scoring and data management.

The event served as a great conversation starter for many topics, Marcoux Samaan said.

After the morning session, attendees were invited to play in the Chevron Championship Pro-Am, where Marcoux Samaan and Monahan teed it up together with Nelly Korda on the front nine at The Club at Carlton Woods.

Stacy Lewis only had two holes with Monahan on the back nine before he had to head back to Florida for family reasons. Lewis was impressed by how prepared and engaged Monahan was during their short time together.

“I think he realizes that they need to do more,” said Lewis on Wednesday. “He said that to me multiple times yesterday. … it’s just now whether we can push it forward and actually do something about it.”

Lewis put forth her desire to see the LPGA and PGA Tour come together for an event that features the top men and women playing together in full-field events with separate leaderboards and separate purses across two courses on one site.

“Imagine Lydia (Ko) and Rory (McIlroy) walking down the 18th hole together,” she said. “How cool would that be?”

Korda hinted at the same to Monahan, though she noted that the unofficial Grant Thornton Invitational later this year that features LPGA and PGA Tour players partnered together is a good step.

“They have such a big platform,” said Korda. “I feel like the best way to grow the game at the end of the day is to combine the two.

“Girls golf is growing at an incredible rate, and they see that too.”

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Golf Channel executive producer Molly Solomon takes on new role with NBC Olympics

Molly Solomon adds NBC Olympics production and executive producer to her job role in addition to overseeing production of Golf Channel.

Molly Solomon was playing the 16th hole with Golf Channel commentator Brandel Chamblee recently at her home course, Country Club of Orlando, when her phone buzzed. It was her boss, Pete Bevacqua, president of NBC Sports Group. As any golfer should do, she let it go to voicemail.

“I finished the round, got in my car and called him back,” she said. “Sometimes you get a call that changes the direction of your professional life.”

NBC Sports Group announced Tuesday that Solomon has been named executive producer and president of NBC Olympics production and executive producer of Golf Channel.

Solomon, who has worked 10 Olympics for NBC Sports, including as coordinating producer of the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony and prime-time show, will oversee all day-to-day editorial production of NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Games, as well as the Olympic Channel. She will continue to oversee production of NBC Sports Group’s Golf Channel as well, a position she has held since 2012, and report to Bevacqua.

“As a broadcast partner at the PGA of America, and now as a colleague at NBC Sports, I’ve had a front-row seat watching Molly skillfully and creatively lead a tremendous Golf Channel production team,” Bevacqua said. “We are excited to put oversight of our Olympic presentation into her exceptionally-qualified hands, and are especially proud to see a long-time and well-liked member of our NBC team return to her roots.”

She’s also not the only Golf Channel executive to take on a bigger role within NBC Universal. Will McIntosh was recently promoted to executive vice president of NBC Sports digital and consumer business and moved to its Connecticut offices. The timing of these announcements with Golf Channel in the midst of a fierce battle to retain rights to the PGA Tour suggests Golf Channel may be bracing for a big shakeup if it loses out in a bidding war, but Bevacqua downplayed the significance.

“I don’t think it has any impact at all,” he said of NBC/Golf Channel’s TV negotiation effort.

Solomon replaces Jim Bell, who stepped down earlier this month after three decades with NBC.

“To lead NBC Sports’ Olympic production team is an immensely rewarding opportunity in a 30-year career,” Solomon said. “Growing up at NBC Sports, I’ve been so fortunate to work with the gifted Olympics storytellers, and then to combine it with my other sports love – golf – with the incredible, dedicated team at Golf Channel.”

Solomon, who begins her new role immediately, returns to work with the NBC Olympics team, where she previously held a succession of positions beginning in 1990 as a researcher (the last time she was in Tokyo was in 1991, as a researcher for NBC Sports’ coverage of the world track and field championships).

An 11-time Emmy Award-winner, Solomon continues to serve in her role as Golf Channel’s lead production executive. Solomon also oversaw the network’s production of golf’s return to the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016. She will now be based at NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.

“Molly is a fantastic leader who has helped showcase the most historic championships in golf and new events designed to help grow the game,” Mike McCarley, president of golf for NBC Sports, wrote to Golf Channel staff in an e-mail obtained by Golfweek.

“She’s worked closely with many partners to elevate championships like THE PLAYERS, The Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the new FedExCup Playoffs, as well as launch new events like the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals and Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and of course, golf’s return to the Olympics in 2016. It’s only fitting that she returns to her Olympic roots as the leader who will now shape the way in which America experiences the Olympic Games.”

When asked if she plans to give Olympic golf any special promotion, she noted that the golf likely will air during prime time.

“I do have a soft spot for golf,” she said.