After losing the rights to the U.S. Open two years ago to Fox, NBC had targeted the Open Championship as the major golf tournament to replace its loss. And two years later, the Peacock has come out and wrested the Open away from ESPN. It ends a relationship between ESPN/ABC that dates back to 1962. It means that the 2016 Open will be the last on the network.
In 2008, ESPN signed a contract with the R&A, the organization that controls the Open to make the event an all-cable affair starting in 2010. Until then, ABC had aired the Open on weekends with either ESPN or TNT airing the first two rounds.
Now with the new agreement with NBC, it means that Golf Channel will get a piece of a major tournament for the first time in its history when it airs the first two rounds of the Open beginning in 2017. NBC will air weekend coverage bringing the tournament back to broadcast television.
The agreement between NBC and the R&A will last for 12 years and it will provide the Peacock with the Open, the Women’s British Open, the Senior Open Championship, the Amateur Championship as well as the Walker and the Curtis Cup. Golf Channel and NBC will combine to air these events especially and men’s, Senior and Women’s Open. NBC Universo will get the Spanish language rights for the Open and Women’s British Open.
Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand writes that NBC will pay double what ESPN has paid in this current contract which expires next year.
ESPN gave the following statement upon losing the Open:
“We’ve had a rewarding relationship with Peter Dawson and the R&A. We look forward to televising The Open Championship and other R&A championships this year and next year and wish them the best in the future.”
Here’s the official announcement:
NBC SPORTS GROUP AND THE R&A FORM LONG-TERM MEDIA PARTNERSHIP
The Open, Women’s British Open and The Senior Open Championship to Air on NBC and Golf Channel Beginning in 2017
Stamford, CT and Orlando, FL (June 8, 2015) – NBC Sports Group and The R&A announced today a long-term media partnership in the United States beginning with The Open from Royal Birkdale in 2017 and spanning 12 years. The announcement was made today by Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A, and Mark Lazarus, Chairman of the NBC Sports Group.
“The R&A is synonymous with the traditions and history of golf, and The Open is golf’s original championship. NBC Sports is proud to present The Open Championship, and to work with The R&A on their initiatives to grow the game around the globe,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBC Sports Group. “This partnership will allow NBC Sports, Golf Channel and NBC Universo to serve the legions of sports fans in the U.S. with complete coverage that reflects the prestige of The R&A’s championships.”
“We are delighted to announce that from 2017, The Open will be broadcast by NBC Sports Group. They have unparalleled experience in golf and have demonstrated a genuine desire to showcase and promote The Open and The R&A’s elite championships through their extensive range of channels and digital platforms,” said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A. “The United States is home to millions of fans of The Open and we know that through NBC Sports Group, they will enjoy world-class coverage of the Championship.”
The new partnership agreement includes coverage across all media of The Open, The Senior Open Championship, and The Amateur Championship, as well as the Women’s British Open, in partnership with the Ladies’ Golf Union. The agreement also includes coverage of the Walker Cup and Curtis Cup, in years when these international amateur team events are hosted by The R&A and Ladies’ Golf Union.
NBC Sports Group, The R&A and Ladies Golf Union partnership:
- Returns The Open and Women’s British Open to U.S. broadcast television for the first time in eight years
- Represents Golf Channel’s first live coverage of a men’s major championship with The Open
- Adds the Women’s British Open as the fourth women’s major championship on Golf Channel, and joins this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship as the second to receive broadcast coverage on NBC
- Includes NBC Universo’s live Spanish-language golf coverage of The Open and the Women’s British Open
“As these events’ new home in the U.S., NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the Women’s British Open and Curtis Cup will further raise the profile of these world-class events,” said Lazarus. “Adding broadcast coverage of the Women’s British Open will contribute to the momentum that the LPGA Tour and Golf Channel have generated in the United States, as the women’s game continues to grow stronger.”
“This is fantastic news for the Women’s British Open and the Curtis Cup and for women’s golf generally,” said Trish Wilson, Chairman of the Ladies’ Golf Union. “To have the full weight and breadth of the NBC Sports Group behind these two international events will be of tremendous benefit to their future growth.”
NBC Sports Group’s promotional effort will feature The Open as one of the final marquee events within NBC Sports’ widely recognized Championship Season each spring and summer and will strengthen NBC Sports Group’s leadership position as sports fans’ morning destination in the U.S. In addition, the partnership will collaborate on showcasing golf’s oldest and most international championships, including Golf Channel’s coverage of The Open Qualifying Series events, documentaries from the Emmy-nominated Golf Channel Films unit and a U.S. promotional tour of the Claret Jug, one of sport’s most iconic trophies. Golf Channel and The R&A also will work together on efforts to showcase The R&A’s global youth initiatives, utilizing Golf Channel’s presence in more than 200 million households, 80 countries and 11 languages around the world.
It’s a year of transition for the R&A and the Open Championship. Earlier this year, the R&A awarded the UK rights for the Open to Sky Sports ending more than 60 years of live coverage on the BBC. Like ESPN, BBC’s last Open will be next year.
