Courtesy NBC Sports Group
By AAGD STAFF
On Tuesday, July 24, 2018 PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua announced that he will be resigning from his current position at the PGA of America, one of the world’s largest sports organizations. Bevacqua plans to head to NBC Sports where he will lead in the newly created role of President of the NBC Sports Group.
Working with the PGA of America since 2012, Bevacqua said in a statement, “The opportunity to join NBC Sports Group, and the larger company of Comcast NBCUniversal, which holds media rights to the world’s biggest events and an incredible assortment of assets, was too good to be true,” Bevacqua continued, “I am also deeply grateful to the membership, leadership and staff at the PGA of America. Professionally and personally, for me and my family, these have been the best six years of my life. Leading the PGA of America and the 29,000 PGA Golf Professionals will always mean a great deal to me.”
Most recently, Bevacqua had managed to move the PGA Championship, from August to May. The Championship represents the PGA of America’s flagship enterprise. His strong negotiation skills aided in the establishment of a 15-year rights deal between the PGA of America and NBS Sports. This deal locked down the Ryder Cup tournaments through 2030. It has also been said that there is talk of relocating the PGA’s headquarters from South Florida to the Dallas, TX area. Certainly, one of the first orders of business for the new CEO of The PGA of America will be to handle this potential move of the PGA of America’s headquarters and the soon-to-expire TV deal for the PGA Championship.
In his new role, Bevacqua has a lapful of duties as he will be in charge of managing several aspects of NBC Sports’ business ventures, including programming, marketing, digital, the group’s regional networks. He will also be responsible for all of its golf operations.
Bevacqua is slated to begin working for NBC in September, remaining on with the PGA of America through next month’s PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis.
EXPERIENCE AND REPUTATION MAKE THE MAN
“With the expansion of NBC Sports Group over the last seven years, and our continuing investments in new and existing businesses, adding Pete to our already strong management team will help us organize for future growth,” said Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBC Broadcasting and Sports, in the release. “We are thrilled to have someone with his experience and reputation join our organization.”
Many have been commenting on Bevacqua’s new role including Publisher of the African American Golfer’s Digest, Debert Cook who said, “I see this as another progressive role for Pete, where he can continue to utilize his strong business skills and leverage relationships in making golf an even more viable sport for all. I wish him good luck with his decision.” She continued, “This is also an excellent time for the PGA of America to tap into some of the great business leadership that reigns in the African American demographic.”
PGA of America president Paul Levy reportedly said in a statement to Golf Digest: “We are grateful to Pete for his nearly six years of visionary leadership. Under Pete’s guidance, we advanced our mission to grow the game and serve our members in many ways. In a memo to PGA members, Levy said that Chief Membership Officer John Easterbrook will serve as interim CEO. “During this time, we will look internally and externally to find a long-term CEO,” he added. “With the PGA of America well-positioned for continued success, Pete departs with our gratitude and best wishes for continued success in this new chapter at NBC Sports.”
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Bevacqua grew up in Bedford, New York. He was introduced to the game of golf at a young age by his father, Arthur, who was a dentist. He began caddying at the local golf club in Bedford at age 10 and continued to work there as a caddie and pro shop manager all the way through his college summers while attending Notre Dame. He served as the Global Head of Golf at Creative Artists Agency (CAA Sports) before landing his spot at the PGA of America. His other previous positions included that of Chief Business Officer for the USGA and as the first Managing Director of the U.S. Open Championship. His professional career did not begin in golf but at a New York City law firm. Bevacqua will join NBC Sports starting in September.
