The Open and BBC.

Can't help think that this will mean the end of live golf on terrestrial TV in the UK. Yes the game and the R&A will get more money in the short term, but the long term damage due to a lack of exposure could exacerbate the decline in membership and participation. IMHO.
 
Hacker Khan said:
Can't help think that this will mean the end of live golf on terrestrial TV in the UK. Yes the game and the R&A will get more money in the short term, but the long term damage due to a lack of exposure could exacerbate the decline in membership and participation. IMHO.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I share your concern.
 
Assuming the sport will go into further decline because it's not shown on terrestrial TV is wrong because the younger generation generally isn't watching broadcast television at all any more. This is a problem facing more than just golf, the movement of the future audience away from broadcast television is affecting all television production. Now, I'm loathe to see another sport lost from the BBC's screens as a victim of money but to survive and have any chance of growing a new audience it has to adapt. I'd trust the R&A to see those threats on the horizon and act appropriately.
 
Bet BT will take it. They're splashing out some serious cash on TV Rights at the minute, hell on everything atm, with them buying EE. They're going to give Sky a serious run for their money.
 
Another blow rains down on this fine game of ours. An interesting article which raises some good points. Can only hope the games administrators are taking note and making plans to further arrest decline in participation and awareness of the sport - not just selling it out for short term cash.

Can't help but think the golfing landscape will change significantly over the next 10ish years (number of courses, game formats, numbers involved) - I only hope I recognize it. Change is inevitable however, so will need to move with it I guess.
 
Hacker Khan said:
Can't help think that this will mean the end of live golf on terrestrial TV in the UK. Yes the game and the R&A will get more money in the short term, but the long term damage due to a lack of exposure could exacerbate the decline in membership and participation. IMHO.
Click to expand...

Much like cricket.
 
Will be a sad day all round when the Open goes to Sky. As highlighted by the article, the excellent commentary of Alliss and Cotter will be lost and replaced by commentary full of stats and hyperbole. Yes, the camera work may improve but the quality of commentary will head in the opposite direction.
 
Can't help but think that sky would do a much better job. And give the open the justice of coverage it deserves. Hate the commentary on BBC with the exception of Frank Nobilo last year.

With sky I recon you'll get more red button options of featured groups/holes. And most likely more coverage. There's nothing worse when on BBC when coverage starts at 10 but the actual golf doesn't start till like 11:30 and u have to just hear about the play on the course instead of seeing it.

I personally don't see there being an issue with someone else taking a go at the coverage. If you don't want to pay for it then don't no one is making you. Why should everything be free.
 
Prefer Sky's coverage over the BBC personally and I doubt whether this will lead to kids not taking the sport up.

BT's problem at the moment is to get their subscriber base high enough to pay the £999m they shelled out for CL coverage
 
The BBC didn't even have a high lights show. I got home from work, and zip, nada, nothing. Sooner it's on sky the better. Or bt sport.
 
Tongo said:
Will be a sad day all round when the Open goes to Sky. As highlighted by the article, the excellent commentary of Alliss and Cotter will be lost and replaced by commentary full of stats and hyperbole. Yes, the camera work may improve but the quality of commentary will head in the opposite direction.
Click to expand...

I would have thought that losing Slack Alliss would have been a bit of a positive.
Probably one of the main reasons viewing figures have dropped.
 
Doon frae Troon said:
I would have thought that losing Slack Alliss would have been a bit of a positive.
Probably one of the main reasons viewing figures have dropped.
Click to expand...

Maybe. But he does have an old school charm that is lacking elsewhere. He says some daft things at times but the guy is nearly 84.

I havent seen a lot of golf on Sky but i have a DVD of the 2010 Ryder Cup, am guessing the commentary is from Sky, where Jay Townsend says of Martin Kaymer: "How can a player be a major champion and a rookie?" Nobody's perfect and mistakes are made but, for me, it was a poor comment to make and smacked of a lack of understanding.

And i'm still recovering from the comment by the US commentary team during the 2011 US Open when Rory was in a bunker. The brilliant comment: "This is a do-able shot." Admittedly, this wasnt Sky's commentary but you could imagine it heading that way. I would much rather take Alliss' bumbling, sometimes cringe-worthy, insights than the slick, stats filled modern day equivalent which cant understand how Martin Kaymer can win a major before playing in a Ryder Cup or describes as bunker shot as "do-able."

:rant:
 
Isn't it about time the BBC started showing adverts on TV, maybe this is the way to compete and raise revenue?
 
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