UK TV News: Sky Sports Loses Masters & PGA!

[iacas]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/13/rory-mcilroy-scottish-open-golf-poulter-fowler

Sky faces golf embarrassment after losing rights to next month’s US PGA

Quote

Sky Sports has lost the rights to the US PGA Championship, which takes place at Quail Hollow next month, in what marks an embarrassment to the broadcaster just days after it announced the launch of a dedicated golf channel.

The PGA of America, which runs the tournament, confirmed that Sky’s deal – which had run for a decade – has not been renewed because a completely different media model is being pursued. While the details of that are unknown, there could still be an element of live broadcast, via another outlet.

Then…

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/golf/2017/07/14/opening-two-days-masters-danger-lost-uk-television-no-deal-place/

Exclusive: Opening two days of The Masters in danger of being lost to UK television with no deal in place for live coverage

Quote

The first half of the Masters is in danger of joining the US PGA Championship in being lost to UK television.

As of now, there is no deal in place for live coverage of the opening two rounds of golf's most iconic tournament less than eight months before it is next staged.

Sky Sports has shown those days exclusively since 2011 but its contract expired after April's tournament and there has been no sign of it being renewed.

Ooof. I wonder how our compatriots across the pond are feeling about this…?

[David in FL]

Wow.  Hopefully there's time to get something in place before The Masters next year.  That would suck...

[nevets88]

 

 

[Shindig]

I hope they're able to view it with good commentary somehow.  Would Masters.org allow viewing from there or is it geographically isolated?

Watching sports on Sky Sports is a great experience.  I have never watched golf on it, but NFL games on that channel are amazing.  I hope they're able to get their act together.

[ZappyAd]

I've been watching the PGA tour this year on the PGA tour live app and it has been great.  Currently it is $40 a year and I would definitely pay a bit more to watch more events and more of the final round.  I think it is definitely the way to go - sports like golf should go direct to the consumer.  

It seems to me that the PGA could cause sky and the European tour a problem.  I don't want to pay a large amount of money monthly to Sky to subsidise their premiership deal.  And why would I bother about not really being able to watch the European tour when I can get more and more of the PGA tour direct to my device?  The money the PGA must have spent on getting their broadcast capability set up is a wise investment imho.  They could go worldwide with full coverage and grab a big piece of the global golf viewing pie.  In comparison the European tour seem stuck in the Stone Age technology wise.