Northern oak tournament
SEASON 3
Driving Change One Swing at a Time
Community influencers go head-to-head in a virtual golf tournament unlike any other, competing for the Northern Oak Trophy, all while impacting their community through playful entertainment.
The Northern Oak Tournament uses an innovative collaboration strategy between social impactors and community pillars, to raise awareness for the programs the Heart of Maine United Way supports.
About The Tournament
On the surface, The Northern Oak Tournament is a silly little golf challenge caught on camera. But, at its core, the Northern Oak Tournament is a philanthropic content machine created to amplify nonprofits through innovative media collaborations, and intentional marketing strategy.
This flagship project of Content For a Cause has welcomed an impressive roster of Maine talent, including Jared Baker, Kris MacCabe, Chris Rudolph, Zachary Robbins, Travis Baker, Jeremy Grant, Corey Ford, Adam Hatch, Soubanh Phanthay, Greg Hirsch, Emily Rose, Kelly Hinkle, Brandon Aull, and Jessica Ward. This cast of community impactors helped cement the series as a unique celebration of humor, philanthropy, and culture.
The next season is scheduled to record on Columbus Day, 2025, to be released through a seven week strategy in 2026. Season 3 features nine competitors in a playful golf showdown, a storytelling format designed to raise awareness and overall support for the Heart of Maine United Way.
History of The Tournament
Season 1 debuted as the pilot for Content For a Cause, showcasing the bold idea that entertainment could double as a philanthropic platform. This idea served a fresh mix of comedy, community partnership, and public education, laying the foundation for what would become a one-of-a-kind series.
Season 2 built on that momentum. With fewer episodes and longer runtimes, the pacing became sharper, the comedy more connected, and the golf more competitive. Sponsorships took on a more organic role, allowing the overall production quality to soar. Through these four episodes, the series transformed to meet the established creative vision, and laid a clear path forward for the tournament’s future.
Season 3 marks the full realization of the idea, and maintains the refined structure, standard, and strategy. The next season is positioned to deliver the most impactful ROI yet, with strengthened community engagement, and a clear mission to benefit the Heart of Maine United Way.
Partnership Opportunities
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Description: The Host Partner serves as the most prominent sponsor, with full exposure of location and assets integrated into the entire 4 episode series, and book-end shout-outs at both the start and end of each episode.
Screen Time: 30-second segment with logo twice per episode.
Perk: Home Turf, with aerial coverage. -
Description: The Hole Partner serves as the viewer’s strategy guide, presenting hole details such as par, distance, and key challenges, while maintaining consistent brand presence, throughout all 16 holes.
Screen Time: 30-second segment with logo four times per episode.
Perk: Audience Caddie, with branded messaging.
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Description: The Tee-Box Partner serves as the heart of the tournament, delivering educational messaging after the drive, connecting the competition directly to the community impact, throughout all 16 holes.
Screen Time: 30-second segment with logo four times per episode.
Perk: Primary beneficiary, with branded CTA’s.
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Description: The Fairway Partner serves as the backbone of the series, offering banter and observation as players approach the green, aligning the brand with the action throughout all 16 holes.
Screen Time: 30-second segment with logo four times per episode.
Perk: Cart-Cam, with logo placement.
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Description: The Green Partner serves as the competitive liaison, conducting post-putt interviews with key players, capturing the drama and spirit of each round, throughout all 16 holes.
Screen Time: 30-second segment with logo four times per episode.
Perk: Flag-Cam, with logo placement.
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Description: The Play Partner serves as the brain of the operation, with exclusive visual branding on all scoring graphics, accounting for approximately 25% of total series air time.
Screen Time: 30-second segment with logo twice per episode.
Perk: Scoring Graphics, with logo placement
“Did you know, partnered marketing placements for nonprofits can be written off as advertising, qualifying for a 100% deduction compared to the 50% cap on charitable contributions.”
Now Casting Season 3
We’re looking for Maine’s biggest and most recognizable personalities to step into the spotlight and compete in Season 3 of the Northern Oak Tournament.
Across four high-energy episodes, each built around four exciting holes, we’ll showcase comedy, camaraderie, and community, all in the spirit of positive impact. It’s laugh-out-loud storytelling at every turn!
We’re casting nine celebrity golfers and three commentators to star in a privately filmed 16-hole competition on Columbus Day, October 13, 2025, in or near Bangor, Maine. All meals are provided, and lodging can be arranged for those who qualify.
In addition to unforgettable moments on the course, cast members will be featured in a multi-platform, multi-brand campaign designed to strengthen personal brands, foster collaboration between high-profile personalities, and generate 20+ customized content clips ready for personal posting and promotion.
Cast members should be recognized in their community or have an established social following. Participants are expected to provide their own transportation and maintain positive morale throughout the production. Golfers and commentators must be comfortable on camera, enthusiastic, and professionally minded to ensure a successful shoot.
Analytics & Impact
Season 1: Theory
Season 1 proved the Northern Oak Tournament’s concept, drawing 2,000 full-length views across six episodes, with nearly 40% watching through. Promoted by 100+ short-form clips, the campaign reached 95,000 additional views, introducing sponsors to 4,400 individuals, 80% from New England. Despite only 38% sponsor cross-promotion, strong community feedback confirmed the format’s promise and revealed lessons for growth.
Season 2: Reinvention
Season 2 was built to strengthen retention, engagement, and distribution. Sponsorships were limited to brands with active social media presence, ensuring consistent promotion and clip-worthy content. With trailers, teasers, bloopers, and a podcast, outreach became more dynamic. Despite challenges tied to larger productions, mandatory cross-promotion and diversified strategies positioned Season 2 to double viewership over Season 1 and improve retention by 15% by year’s end.
Season 3: Vision
Season 3 builds on momentum with simplified workflows, polished storytelling, and strategic sponsor integration. A strong cast and streamlined structure will refine the formula and double benchmarks set by Season 2. With stronger retention, broader reach, and deeper community ties, Season 3 is poised to deliver the most impactful tournament yet, establishing the Northern Oak Tournament as a sustainable, flagship series with lasting influence.
Game Overview
Every episode features three teams of three players in a four-hole challenge. Points are earned by team ranking in each mini-game. At the end of the tournament, the individual with the most points is crowned “Tournament Champion”. the one with the fewest is dubbed “High Score Champion.”
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Three shuffled teams of three players compete in match play golf with a simple but disruptive twist; Every shot must be teed up, whether it is in the fairway, rough, or bunker. The only exception is on the green, where putts are played as normal. Mulligans are only allowed if the player retrieves their ball and returns it to the same spot within ten seconds.
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Three shuffled teams of three players compete in match play golf with an evil and dangerous twist; If a ball is struck by another team’s shot, that team is disqualified from the hole and assigned a Triple Bogey. Ball markers are forbidden. Mulligans are allowed if the player retrieves their ball and returns it to the same spot within ten seconds.
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Three shuffled teams of three players compete in match play golf with a light and cautious twist; each player can only bring one club, leaving the team with just three clubs to use for the entire round. Mulligans are allowed if the player retrieves their ball and returns it to the same spot within ten seconds.
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Three shuffled teams of three players compete in match play golf with a not so typical twist; there is no twist. It’s every team for themself in a hyper-competitive showdown. Mulligans are allowed if the player retrieves their ball and returns it to the same spot within ten seconds.
Scoring
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Each player on the winning team earns 500 points toward their individual total.
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Each player on the second-place team earns 350 points toward their individual total.
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Each player on the third-place team earns 225 points toward their individual total.
Bonus Points
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Description text goAwarded when a lucky bounce off an object or surface keeps the ball in play.es here
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Earned when a shot strikes the flagstick but does not go in the hole.
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Scored when a player chips the ball into the hole from inside 50 yards. -
Scored when a player chips the ball into the hole from 50 yards or farther.
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Awarded when a player holes a shot from at least 100 yards away.
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The ultimate bonus, scored when a player makes the ball in a single stroke from the tee.