Rogers head Keith Pelley jumps across ocean to head PGA European Tour

Keith Pelley is on the move again.

As the first season of Rogers Media's blockbuster $5.2 billion National Hockey League broadcast deal winds  down with mixed results, the company announced that its president is leaving to head up the PGA European Tour.

“I am very honoured to be joining the European Tour as its new CEO at an exciting stage in its development," Pelley said in a statement.  "The tour already has a highly regarded reputation and I look forward to building on this using my previous experience in both media and sports to ensure it remains at forefront of the game across the globe.

“Throughout my career in North America, it has been a privilege to work with the best sports organisations, athletes, and media assets.  I am excited to build on these experiences on the international stage.”

This won't be Pelley's first foray into the non-broadcast side of sports. He was president of the Toronto Argonauts from 2003 to 2007, including a Grey Cup championship in 2004 with owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski.

The 51-year-old Toronto native's versatility was one of the key reasons for his hiring, said European Tour chairman David Williams.

``Keith’s proven track record, extensive experience and outstanding leadership skills in both sport and media will be invaluable as we continue to further develop our strategy," he said in a statement.  

“Throughout the interview process, it was clear that Keith has an unwavering passion for golf as well as a strong grasp of the challenges and opportunities facing not only the European Tour, but the wider game of golf as a whole.  He knows the game, respects its history and I have no doubt he will bring an innovative approach to the development of the European Tour on the global stage."

While the move sent shock waves through the Canadian broadcasting business, it follows Pelley's recent path of not sticking around in one job too long and moving after major accomplishments.

After a successful career at TSN that saw him eventually rise to become president, he walked away from that to join the Argos. After the Argos hosted the Grey Cup in 2007, Pelley left to become president of Canada's Olympic broadcast consortium and oversaw the highly success coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

The snow had barely melted after those Games when Pelley shocked the TV business again by jumping to Rogers to head its media division. That allowed him to spearhead Rogers' massive NHL deal, which has produced so-so ratings in its first years and failed to meet audience expectations.

But ratings have surged in the first week of the playoffs and the deal could eventually be a winner.

``This truly is a dream job that only comes up once in a lifetime. It was a very difficult decision,” said Pelley.   “I know I’ll never be a professional golfer, so this is the next best thing.  The tour already has a highly regarded reputation and I look forward to building on this using my experience here at Rogers Media to ensure it remains at the forefront of the game across the globe.  We’ve got a great team at Rogers Media, they know what we need to do.  We’re in good shape.”

Guy Laurence, Rogers president and CEO, praised Pelley's contributions.

“He’s been a key player on the NHL file and has done a terrific job of reinventing the way Canadians experience the NHL," he said in a release. "Under his leadership, Sportsnet is on the cusp of becoming the number one sports media brand in Canada.”