Augusta, GA (My Sportsbook) - The 2005 Masters will once again feature commercials as Augusta National Golf Club chairman Hootie Johnson announced television sponsors on Friday.
Johnson pulled his three television sponsors in 2003 - ExxonMobil, Coca-Cola and Citigroup - amidst protests by Martha Burk and the National Council of Women's Organizations.
Burk was criticizing Augusta National's all-male membership and targeted those advertisers. Johnson pulled the plug on commercials in 2003 shortly after the protests began from Burk, who penned a letter to Johnson campaigning for female membership.
"We are sorry, but not surprised, to see these corporations drawn into this matter, but continue to insist that our private club should not be 'managed' by an outside group," Johnson said in a statement last year. "As I previously said, there may come a day when women will be invited to join our club, but that decision must be ours."
He made the 2004 staging once again commercial-free.
Johnson announced two new sponsors, IBM and SBC Communications, on Friday and that ExxonMobil would return in 2005. The Masters was previously the only commercial-free sports event on network television.
"We are pleased to provide fans of the Masters with additional television coverage," said Johnson, in a statement released on Friday. "The additional 90 minutes will allow viewers to enjoy even more of the Tournament. We also are happy to have three outstanding companies as television sponsors of the 2005 Masters. ExxonMobil, IBM and SBC Communications are leaders in their respective fields and are companies that will make a positive contribution to this Tournament."
The new schedule is as follows: early-round coverage on USA Network will be 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. (et) Thursday and Friday, 30 minutes longer each day than the previous two years. USA Network will replay early round telecasts from 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Saturday's coverage on CBS will be 3:30 - 7:00 p.m., also 30 minutes longer at the day's conclusion. Sunday's time on CBS of 2:30 - 7:00 p.m. remained the same.
As in years past, the television sponsors will be allowed to split four minutes of commercial time per hour.
The 2005 Masters is scheduled for April 7-10, with Phil Mickelson defending his title.