How the USGA used Lennd to Launch a State-of-the-Art Virtual Media Hub for the US Open
About the U.S. Open
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open national championship of golf in the United States. It is the third of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour.
The Challenge
With COVID-19 significantly limiting the quantity of on-site personnel, the USGA needed a way to easily vet, onboard, and provide approved media members across the globe a way to efficiently and effectively cover the week-long Major Championship.
U.S. Open Objectives
To provide a one-stop shop for credentialed media to cover the championship from afar.
To provide a seamless, enjoyable experience for media covering the championship virtually
Provide as many of the tools they are used to receiving onsite
Broaden their reach by accommodating remote coverage
Improve the experience for on-site media.
Solution
The USGA Turned to Lennd to deliver a Virtual Media Experience
Capabilities
The goal of the Media Hub was to be a one-stop shop where it was simple and straightforward for the USGA staff to:
Review and react to media applications
Credential approved media for either on-site or virtual access
And to allow media outlets to:
Apply for access
Follow the Live Interview Schedule
Join press conferences
Request interviews with specific players
Watch interview replays
Access transcripts from player interviews
Receive real-time alerts & reminders via email or text
Access a real-time feed of competition replay videos (that is searchable by player)
Access critical USGA resources including Groupings & Tee Times, Practice Round & Driving Range feeds, Player & Media Guides, Hole Locations, Rules Assignments, Fact Sheets, Travel Assets, Logos, Weather, course stats, photos, B-Roll, and more
What The USGA Said
Exceeding Expectations
“It was hard to know what to expect, moving our U.S. Open media operations primarily virtual this year. But we were blown away by how seamless the experience was.”
Julia Pine, Assistant Director Championship Communications, USGA
Looking to the Future
“While we certainly hope to be able to welcome significantly more media back on site next year, there were learnings and tactics used this year that we'll be able to utilize for years to come.”
Julia Pine, Assistant Director Championship Communications, USGA
One-Stop-Shop for Media
“Being able to use the Lennd platform as a one-stop-shop for our media covering the event made the process so much more seamless. Trying to juggle dozens of live-streamed interviews a day can feel cumbersome for those offsite, but the Virtual Media Hub provided an easy way for people to stay involved in what was going on onsite.”
Julia Pine, Assistant Director Championship Communications, USGA
Feedback from Media
“The feedback we've received from media both on and off-site has been incredible. Those onsite didn't feel the impact of the operation we were providing to those not there, and those off-site felt included in our activities.”
Julia Pine, Assistant Director Championship Communications, USGA
Experience for Administrators
“The backend of the media hub was flawless. Every member of our team involved in operating it on a daily basis had no complaints, and training team members couldn't have been easier.”
Julia Pine, Assistant Director Championship Communications, USGA
Support Level From Lennd
“The level of service from Lennd was incredible. They were tasked with putting together our platform in a very limited period of time. Their communication was spot on, and technical knowledge incredibly impressive.”
Julia Pine, Assistant Director Championship Communications, USGA
What The Media Said
Impact on International Media
“As an overseas media representative, the time difference between the UK and the US meant it was vital that the media hub worked efficiently, and it certainly did. Interviews were relevant and transcripts were quickly available. Congratulations all round.”
Live Support
“Fantastic service. The live help was great. Also the ability to use the video and audio from the interviews was really helpful.”
Ease of Use
“I thought it was excellent, especially with the live feeds right there. It was easy to use while not being overcrowded with info.”
Great Experience In This New Era
“Kudos for the fast setting on the side of the flash area with the Canadian players. And we were able to ask the question directly. Really appreciated. Overall, great experience in this new era! Thanks”
Accessibility
“I felt the entire virtual media hub was excellent, from the conference call to the quantity of player transcripts. Thank you.”
Key For Media On Deadline
“I got a lot of information from the virtual hub... Most of all, I appreciated the USGA getting so many players to the interview area and making the transcripts available so quickly. That was fantastic for me on deadline.”
All-In-One-Place
“Everything I needed was there. In many cases, the Hub supported information that wasn’t available elsewhere.”
As If You Were There
“I thought you had a great system listing all players and times and you get notifications for the players you need and get on and get the interview as if you were there”
Results & Stats
The Virtual Media Hub was a one-stop shop where it was simple and straightforward for media to more efficiently cover the event (whether they were on-site or remote).
43 Media Personnel and Photographers On-site
788 Media Hub Users across 28 different countries
222 Media Hub Users Added the week of the U.S. Open