PGA, Euro tours partner up

The PGA Tour acquired a minority stake in the European Tour’s media production company as part of an alliance announced Friday, a step toward developing a more unified golf schedule around the world. The deal effectively makes the two leading tours more partners than rivals. The tours said in a statement the alliance would allow them to collaborate on commercial opportunities and global media rights in certain territories. “The PGA Tour moves from a competitor to a partner,” Keith Pelley, chief executive for the European Tour, said on a conference call. While seen as a pivotal first step, any notion of a world tour remains some years away. The immediate goal is to figure out a schedule that keeps the tours from competing against each other and strengthening events on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond. Pelley offered few details on scheduling, access to tours or even negotiating media rights. As part of the agreement, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, above, will join the European Tour board as a non-executive member who would have a vote.