The Open on Sky - It's official

I know now why the BBC will not be covering the Open. It's because Tim Wannacotts broadcasting schedule is already full for 2017 and beyond.
 
I thought I'd be more disappointed, but really I'm just crushed by the weight of inevitability :(

Last year I spent more time listening to it on radio 5, their coverage is excellent and staying I believe.
On face value It seems a strange decision by the r&a. It seems to contradict their participation message. However I'm not sure of the example of cricket. They're 10 years down the line with sky, what's happened there to participation & youth development??
 
garyinderry said:
Hoping kids see golf on the TV and want to play it is as likely as me watching American football and wanting to play it. One ''football'' game a year does me.

What golfers need to do if they want the sport to grow is actually take someone they know, be it a family member, friend, neighbour whatever and get the into the sport. Take them to the range. Take them to round a 9 hole. Teach them what to do as best you can. Encourage them.

How many on here can say they have helped a complete beginner get some interest in the game and guide them until they are playing on their own? how long ago was this, recently?
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Totally agree. How many public tennis courts get inundated for a few weeks post Wimbledon and then stand idle the rest of the year. If you were really going to get into a sport you'd learn the basics and try and get involved somewhere, whether that's someone introducing you or going out on your own and finding someone to show you the ropes
 
I'm disappointed in the decision but not in the least bit surprised. It has long been the case that Sky has positioned itself to be the only real option for live sport. Not content with being a subscriber channel you then have to pay extra if you want the sport/movies/whatever only because they have paid ridiculous amounts of money for those rights and they need to make a profit for their shareholders. What would happen if everyone stopped paying or these subscription services? The business model would fail - Sky rely on getting sufficient subscribers to these channels to make a profit - if they don't get them then they will drop that sport. It's absolutely nothing to do with supporting the game whether tat is golf, football, rugby whatever. Sky needs the monopoly to make the profit hence they will outbid almost all other channels. I love the open and the drama that comes with it but will never pay an additional annual subscription or indeed a one off payment just to watch it live. I can afford it but choose not to pay.
 
HomerJSimpson said:
, pro celebrity et al have had their day
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Well if they Dragged Trevor Brooking & Wogan back out....

But If the BBC Actually Wanted to make Golf 'Work' as a product, with some form of weekly golfing celeb fest I'm sure they could.. They'd just have to ham it up a bit, I'm sure they wouldn't be short of Participants Or applicants to host it. IMO if they can make baking work then Golf should have no problem

It appears though, as an organisation/cooperation they're just not interested in golf as a sport or its future, the question is why.

Who would of thought that the old format of come dancing could be turned around into what it is now?

Ok participation numbers are in decline but There are still Approx 800.000 club Golfers in the UK and including casual Golfers 3 million. How many enthusiastic bakers are out there?
 
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Qwerty said:
Well if they Dragged Trevor Brooking & Wogan back out....

But If the BBC Actually Wanted to make Golf 'Work' as a product, with some form of weekly golfing celeb fest I'm sure they could.. They'd just have to ham it up a bit, I'm sure they wouldn't be short of Participants Or applicants to host it. IMO if they can make baking work then Golf should have no problem

It appears though, as an organisation/cooperation they're just not interested in golf as a sport or its future, the question is why.

Who would of thought that the old format of come dancing could be turned around into what it is now?

Ok participation numbers are in decline but There are still Approx 800.000 club Golfers in the UK and including casual Golfers 3 million. How many enthusiastic bakers are out there?
Click to expand...

But surely in this day and age these celebs would want payment as would the pros and so it becomes a hugely expensive programme without factoring in the additional and exorbitant OB costs. What would it attract as an audience even on prime time (highly unlikely it was never that first time round). Maybe 300,00 tops (I plucked that figure BTW) and if you look at the cost to audience ratio it's obvious why it'll never happen. The thing with Bake Off, Celeb Dancing etc is they all have huge spin offs and so there's more chance to recoup costs.
 
HomerJSimpson said:
But surely in this day and age these celebs would want payment as would the pros and so it becomes a hugely expensive programme without factoring in the additional and exorbitant OB costs. What would it attract as an audience even on prime time (highly unlikely it was never that first time round). Maybe 300,00 tops (I plucked that figure BTW) and if you look at the cost to audience ratio it's obvious why it'll never happen. The thing with Bake Off, Celeb Dancing etc is they all have huge spin offs and so there's more chance to recoup costs.
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Spin offs is a good point, the bbc make a fortune through book and dvd sales, and selling the format to other countries
 
HomerJSimpson said:
But surely in this day and age these celebs would want payment as would the pros and so it becomes a hugely expensive programme without factoring in the additional and exorbitant OB costs. What would it attract as an audience even on prime time (highly unlikely it was never that first time round). Maybe 300,00 tops (I plucked that figure BTW) and if you look at the cost to audience ratio it's obvious why it'll never happen. The thing with Bake Off, Celeb Dancing etc is they all have huge spin offs and so there's more chance to recoup costs.
Click to expand...


Im no expert due to my occupation as a gas engineer..
I'd say though that most of the 'celebs' would view it as enjoyable exposure and would be glad just to get their 'boat race' on TV. I don't think they'd be overly expensive.
I'd think Some of the pros would jump at it, Poulter would probably pay them if it meant being in the spotlight for 30 mins

Have you seen that "the jump" nonsense that's on at the moment?
I'd imagine its costing Channel 4 a few quid to keep Joey Essex & co on that mountain in the alps for a week or so.

Operating costs.. Marriot & De Vere courses, free advertising for them.

As I said I'm no expert, but with some of the celeb sh1te that's on at the moment I'd don't see why it wouldn't work.
 
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G
Qwerty said:
Im no expert due to my occupation as a gas engineer..
I'd say though that most of the 'celebs' would view it as enjoyable exposure and would be glad just to get their 'boat race' on TV. I don't think they'd be overly expensive.
I'd think Some of the pros would jump at it, Poulter would probably pay them if it meant being in the spotlight for 30 mins

Have you seen that "the jump" nonsense that's on at the moment?
I'd imagine its costing Channel 4 a few quid to keep Joey Essex & co on that mountain in the alps for a week or so.

Operating costs.. Marriot & De Vere courses, free advertising for them.
Click to expand...

DeVere have sold off all their decent courses to QHotels
 
A better sports TVs coverage company is getting the open? Well that's good then. Can't see an issue there, plus it frees up money for the bbc to invest in some new programmes for the people who have no need or use for sky. This is a good thing for golf, the majority of people have access to sky these days and those that don't who want to watch can start subscribing or watch via now tv or via an app.
 
I kinda think that the BBC have contributed to the stuffy image that some perceive golf of having via Peter Alliss & co's ramblings over the last however many years,
and it's now possibly due to this image that they've now decided golf is no longer for them.
 
I don't have Sky, as I don't like being held to ransom to watch what I want to watch. I will suffer in silence, or grudgingly buy a day/weeks pass on NowTV for £6.99 if I really (really) wanted to watch something.
But the days of kids watching the Open on TV and wanting to emulate their sporting heroes has gone. Sorry.
30 years ago, it was different. There was nothing else to do.
But today? If I switch the telly on to watch a days coverage of the Open, my kids will get out of the room as quickly as they can and go into their rooms to fire up their computers, tablets, xbox's or playstations and play World of Codpiece, or whatever it is they play.
Me? I was around when Neil Armstrong and Co. went to the moon. Fascinated me, and still does. Any programme about the space shuttle or space exploration in general and I am still fascinated. I'd watch every space shuttle launch I could. My kids couldn't be bothered. They've seen it all before in computer games, CGI saturated films, it's of no interest to them whatsoever.
It's a different world we live in today. Sadly.
I'll miss Allis & co. I really will.
But my kids don't even know who he is.
 
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