The Masters adds two hours of weekend coverage on Paramount+

The Masters and CBS are expanding television coverage next year by five hours, which includes two hours on Saturday and Sunday through the Paramount+ streaming service of CBS.

Augusta National also announced Tuesday another high-level corporate partner in Bank of America, bringing to four the number of “champion partners” for the major that attracts the largest viewing audience in golf.

The addition of Bank of America does not affect the commercial load. The Masters said the broadcast will continue with only four minutes of commercials each hour.

“The Masters Tournament has had the great fortune of enjoying an extraordinary relationship with CBS Sports for nearly 70 years,” said Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National and the Masters. ”Alongside our friends at the network, we are pleased to extend the tournament’s weekend coverage and ultimately deliver more live golf for Masters fans.”

CBS will add an hour to Saturday’s broadcast. It will go from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT next year, instead of starting at 3 p.m. The third and fourth rounds will be shown exclusively on Paramount+ from noon until 2 p.m., and will remain available on the streaming service through the 7 p.m. conclusion.

That brings the total coverage to 23 hours, which includes 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday broadcast by ESPN.

CBS also produces the expansive digital coverage through The Masters app that includes such features as Amen Corner, holes 4-6, holes 15-16 and featured pairings.

CBS has made its live coverage of sporting events available on Paramount+. The additional two hours on the weekend will be part of its exclusive content, the first time it has offered such content from golf.

The partnership between the Masters and CBS, a year-by-year contract, dates to 1956 when the network used six cameras to televise the last four holes. It was only 25 years ago when the Masters offered just 10 1/2 hours of live coverage on CBS, including three hours on Sunday.

Bank of America joins a small list of primary corporate sponsors at the Masters that includes AT&T, IBM and Mercedes-Benz, which each have extended their partnerships. The club does not disclose details of those contracts.

Bank of America has had a relationship with Augusta National for the last several years, serving as a presenting sponsor for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur since its inception in 2019, as well as the Asia-Pacific Amateur and the Latin America Amateur since 2022.

“Through Bank of America’s support of our community initiatives and amateur events, they have become an impactful and committed partner in our organization’s mission in Augusta and around the globe,” Ridley said.

He said adding Bank of America as a top-level sponsor expands that relationship and strengthens the Masters “for many years to come.”

The Masters is April 10-13 next year, sticking with its tradition of being held the first full week of April. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion.

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This story has been corrected to show that the ESPN broadcast times on Thursday and Friday are from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., not 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf