R&A - Good Deal or Greedy

[KenL]

Despite the fact that I have Sky Sports, I am really disappointed (no disgusted) that the most important and oldest event in golf will only be available to those willing to pay > £50 per month for TV.

Currently the BBC coverage is excellent and doesn't have adverts every 10 minutes!

I thought that THE Open was protected and had to be on free TV, if not it should be. The Open and golf is bigger than Wimbledon, no?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Selling the rights to Sky reduces the amount of people who can watch golf. Not sure how reducing the viewing window can be a positive

But, if the R&A use the money to increase participation then it can only be good for the Game.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

But, if the R&A use the money to increase participation then it can only be good for the Game.

It's £3mil - not fortunes - I reckon not one single penny of that £3mil will go to golf clubs to increase participation

 

[bluewolf]

It's £3mil - not fortunes - I reckon not one single penny of that £3mil will go to golf clubs to increase participation

It will be interesting to track the extra funding and see exactly where it goes. I'm sure the R&A must have made plans for this little windfall...............

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It's £3mil - not fortunes - I reckon not one single penny of that £3mil will go to golf clubs to increase participation

The Mail reports it as 10 Million a year, the BBC didn't want to raise it's 7 Million, but were happy to pay an extra 25 Mill plus to keep MOTD.
Yet participation in Football in the UK has dropped! shows how much the BBC care.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The Mail reports it as 10 Million a year, the BBC didn't want to raise it's 7 Million, but were happy to pay an extra 25 Mill plus to keep MOTD.
Yet participation in Football in the UK has dropped! shows how much the BBC care.

Motd is one of the BBC's most popular programs 4-5mil every week.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Don't doubt it, but you were posting about not showing the Open could lead to people not playing Golf, they show loads of football and less are playing, therefore there is no direct link to the open on the BBC attracting more to Golf than when it's shown on Sky.

 

[bluewolf]

The Mail reports it as 10 Million a year, the BBC didn't want to raise it's 7 Million, but were happy to pay an extra 25 Mill plus to keep MOTD.
Yet participation in Football in the UK has dropped! shows how much the BBC care.

The latest figures on the BBC website appear to show that participation in Football has increased last year...

Golf was down from 751900 to 730300..

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Don't doubt it, but you were posting about not showing the Open could lead to people not playing Golf, they show loads of football and less are playing, therefore there is no direct link to the open on the BBC attracting more to Golf than when it's shown on Sky.

My post was about restricting the viewing of golfing events

At one stage Terristial telly had 18 events - now - none

 

[chellie]

Anyone who can afford to play golf can afford SKY Sports. So if people are annoyed that they will not get to watch it then that is your choice not to have SKY Sports.

We can afford to play golf because we don't pay for Sky Sports. Sure we're not the only ones as well talking to people at the club about it.

 

[SammmeBee]

It's £3mil - not fortunes - I reckon not one single penny of that £3mil will go to golf clubs to increase participation

Why would they give it to golf clubs?

 

[USER1999]

B

Despite the fact that I have Sky Sports, I am really disappointed (no disgusted) that the most important and oldest event in golf will only be available to those willing to pay > £50 per month for TV.

Currently the BBC coverage is excellent and doesn't have adverts every 10 minutes!

I thought that THE Open was protected and had to be on free TV, if not it should be. The Open and golf is bigger than Wimbledon, no?

Um, no, Wimbledon is way bigger than the open.

 

[Sion]

I'm diserpointed that it's going to sky. I loved it on the BBC. It just seems to be adverts every 20 minutes on sky sports!!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

B

Um, no, Wimbledon is way bigger than the open.

Guess will depend on what is being used to judge the size

 

[SammmeBee]

Guess will depend on what is being used to judge the size

Attendance
Prize Money
Revenue
Champers
Strawberries
Competitors
Nice looking birds
Queues to get in

Wimbledon is way bigger.....

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Lee Westwood has branded The Open Championship’s impending move to Sky Sports “an absolute disgrace” and pointed the finger at the Government as well as the BBC and the game’s governing body.

The R&A will announce a new contract in the next few days which will feature the subscription network taking over as exclusive live rights holders of the British major from 2017, so ending what will by then be a 61-year relationship with the BBC. The corporation will be left with the highlights, which must be shown on free-to-air TV as stipulated by the “Crown Jewels” legislation.

However, Westwood is just one perplexed and angry figure within the sport who wonders why live coverage of the Open is not protected in the same way as the Wimbledon finals. With golf participation in sharp decline, the former world No 1 is worried about the consequences, reiterating the points he made to Telegraph Sport three weeks ago when we broke the story of the Open’s forthcoming migration.

“I cannot believe the Open isn’t protected as one of the crown jewels – that is an absolute disgrace,” Westwood said. “It’s very disappointing, even though I can appreciate how much Sky have done for the European Tour, and how much they’ve done for the game of golf. But look at the viewing figures for Sky compared to the BBC and you have to question it when the number of golfers are dwindling.

“I wouldn’t have got into golf if it wasn’t for watching Nick Faldo win the Open in 1987. I would watch every minute of the coverage, and you want today’s kids to have the same opportunity. The BBC is doing golf no favours at all by letting the Open go.”


When asked whether the R&A is at fault as well, Westwood replied: “Well, it is the guardian of the game. But it seems to be all money-driven, and Sky are willing to pay more than anyone else.” That is true, but only it seems to the tune of an extra £3 million a year. The BBC’s last contract, signed in 2010 up to and including next year’s tournament at Royal Troon, was understood to cost £7 million per annum and although the R&A will place great import on the extra finance which will help develop global golf programmes, there is also a sense that this has more to do with the BBC walking away from golf, than golf walking away from the BBC.

In a decade it will have gone from screening 24 days of live men’s professional golf to only two – the Saturday and the Sunday from the Masters.

Westwood was backed by Graeme McDowell, the former US  Open champion from Northern Ireland. “I agree with Westy completely; we are all very aware of the falling numbers and how dangerously on the precipice we are, regarding where the game needs to go in terms of attracting women and children,” McDowell said. “Golf’s inclusion in the Olympics [from next year] should hopefully help that, bringing the sport to so many television homes. But you can see Westy’s point, and I do sympathise with the British viewer. I feel bad for anyone, sitting at home with their TV licence and who will be robbed of Peter Alliss and the boys. The coverage from 7.30am to 7.30pm at night is special.”

However, McDowell is an admirer of Sky and the manner in which it projects the game. There is a widely held belief within golf that the BBC’s coverage has become shabby by comparison, especially with its camera work, which consistently fails to pick up balls in the air.

“Have we reached the point, where we need to shake up the viewing experience?” McDowell said. “I like what Sky have done in so many sports and let’s see what they can do with the Open. I do feel it is a better general viewing experience with high-def and slow-mo and the rest.”

Rory McIlroy, the world No 1, was not as forthright in his belief as his two Ryder Cup team-mates, but also recognises the downside. “I guess it’s just the way it’s gone – money talks, you know,” McIlroy said. “It’s a shame the Open will not be on terrestrial television, but what can you do about I? I know Sky is expensive and a lot of people can’t afford it and it is a shame. It would have been nice if they could have come to some sort of resolution but there it is.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/go...-move-to-Sky-Sports-an-absolute-disgrace.html

 

[Fish]

I've not read all through the thread but I've just read that apparently the R&A gave the Beeb a warning regarding poor golf coverage and the Beeb prioritised MOTD! As such they (BBC) have hardly fought for the right to keep it, have they?

 

[patricks148]

I've not read all through the thread but I've just read that apparently the R&A gave the Beeb a warning regarding poor golf coverage and the Beeb prioritised MOTD! As such they (BBC) have hardly fought for the right to keep it, have they?

Yep, Much like Cricket the beeb under performed there and lost it. when chanel 4 took over cricket instantly more coverage, Highlights packages, a magazine show domestic games, even am cup games. the bbc just want to keep the good stuff without doing anything to further the game

 

[Duckster]

I've not read all through the thread but I've just read that apparently the R&A gave the Beeb a warning regarding poor golf coverage and the Beeb prioritised MOTD! As such they (BBC) have hardly fought for the right to keep it, have they?

Daily Mail states that the MOTD contract is £204million! And they couldn't scrape together £10m to screen the golf.

 

[drdel]

The BBC have become driven by cash for a few in their clique. Why they need to pay excessive fees to presenters I have no idea. There are many competent people who could do the job for a few hundred thousand and be very, very happy but they pay millions to a few.

Golf's exposure will be reduced even more.