Is the Open going to Sky Sports?

ForeRight

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Well there wont be many ads on Sky which is some small consolation

That's very welcome news in what's generally regarded as a bad news story

Keano

While I understand the outrage, the BBC didn't exactly fight very hard to keep it!

TheDoc

Can't say I've got agitated at all. Maybe I'm just use to watching golf on sky for so many years?

Was lucky enough that my father was into enough sport that Sky Sports was always in the house, so I've just essentially grown up with Sky Sports on for golf and football.

What irks me more is how the football packages are being split out between Bt and Sky, meaning that you either shell out 100+ euro a month for both packages or rely on online streams.

Bit naive for people to think this maybe wasn't going to happen. With the Premier League Tv rights becoming more segregated ( remember that Sky also lost their champions league dominance) it's obvious they would target something else that would draw traction, and the Open is one of them.

Can't honestly say I'm flustered about this at all. Obviously the pages of people moaning about ads don't know how television coverage works, as Sky run little advertisement on the sporting events where they control the feed.

Russman

Apologies if I've missed it from earlier posts, but I can't seem to find it mentioned, do we know how long the new deal with Sky is for ?

valoren

Russman wrote: »

Apologies if I've missed it from earlier posts, but I can't seem to find it mentioned, do we know how long the new deal with Sky is for ?

5 years.

Mantis Toboggan

Russman wrote: »

Apologies if I've missed it from earlier posts, but I can't seem to find it mentioned, do we know how long the new deal with Sky is for ?

5 years from 2017

HighLine

Whilst it's a shame and was predictable considering BBC pulling the plug on most other sports... Formula 1, Snooker, Tennis etc., I'm not sure I understand the hatred for Sky. They put on a great show for every event of the year and yes the ad breaks are annoying, but they have no hand in the amount of breaks in US coverage and constantly apologize and say it's out of their hands.

I will miss the BBC coverage though... especially liked when Ken Browne would wonder around the course. Also, they started to do a few aerial shots from a drone segments with Ken which I thought were really good and keeping up to date with technology (contrary to the R&A's opinion).

The Premier Man

The Premier Man wrote: »

Im delighted, the bbc coverage annoyed me.looking at flowers or a bird on a tree and then the commentators rambling on about golfers from years ago many were even club golfers.it was outdated compared to sky with the shot centre and analysis from pros that are in or around the current game.sky get my vote anyway all day everyday and twice on a sunday!

What was particularly wonderful about the coverage of the Open was precisely that with no ad breaks and thus plenty of time in hand, Alliss was able to say hello to (and remember) the many golfers and club members he'd interacted with over the years.

There was a real feeling that the coverage was the golf community having its day in the sun.

Obviously Peter Alliss is probably an insufferable tory bore in real life but on TV and talking about golf he was relaxed and funny in a way you will never get on 'americanised' Sky coverage.

I would take him saying "ooo that's gone a mile" and then warbling on about some now retired amateur champion who could only hit it to point x on the same hole, over sky telling us exactly how far the ball flew and what bubba's average drive has been this weekend, over the season, and where he sits in the PGA rankings for driving distance etc etc etc ad nauseum.

sydneybound

HighLine wrote: »

Whilst it's a shame and was predictable considering BBC pulling the plug on most other sports... Formula 1, Snooker, Tennis etc

What are you talking about?!!!

They still show about 10 GP's a year in F1 they haven't lost all the rights.

They show The Masters and World Champs in Snooker

In Tennis they still show Wimbledon, Queens, Eastbourne and the odd Davies cup match.

They show next to no golf so your point is pretty much incorrect.

HighLine

sydneybound wrote: »

What are you talking about?!!!

They still show about 10 GP's a year in F1 they haven't lost all the rights.

They show The Masters and World Champs in Snooker

In Tennis they still show Wimbledon, Queens, Eastbourne and the odd Davies cup match.

They show next to no golf so your point is pretty much incorrect.

I thought it was fairly obvious... maybe not for you. BBC had exclusive Live F1 coverage... they now show less than half the races because they were not willing to pay against Sky and in the deal... they lose Monaco and the opening race.

Most of the live snooker is now shown on Eurosport rather than BBC... they show the big events but not the smaller events like they used to.

Wimbledon was also at risk of being cut. Have a little read here to see "what I'm talking about". Wimbledon and Formula One at risk as BBC seeks sports cuts

vienne86

HighLine wrote: »

Whilst it's a shame and was predictable considering BBC pulling the plug on most other sports... Formula 1, Snooker, Tennis etc., I'm not sure I understand the hatred for Sky. They put on a great show for every event of the year and yes the ad breaks are annoying, but they have no hand in the amount of breaks in US coverage and constantly apologize and say it's out of their hands.

I will miss the BBC coverage though... especially liked when Ken Browne would wonder around the course. Also, they started to do a few aerial shots from a drone segments with Ken which I thought were really good and keeping up to date with technology (contrary to the R&A's opinion).

I think most of the hatred for Sky come from the requirement for the poor unfortunate fan to take out a subscription......and it ain't cheap.

SaveOurLyric

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

This will be Dawsons legacy ,he is retiring in September after 16 years in the job .
I cant but feel his retirement fund may have been feathered by this decision.

And your grounds for this libel are ?

Degag

Don't the Irish Government protect Irish sport in some way? In that the All Irelands, world cup and Euro games etc have to be shown free to air?

If so surprised the British haven't done similar.

lertsnim

HighLine wrote: »

BBC had exclusive Live F1 coverage... they now show less than half the races because they were not willing to pay against Sky and in the deal... they lose Monaco and the opening race.

The BBC asked to end their contract early as a freeze in the licence fee meant they couldn't afford the full contract. In the new negotiations Sky then got all races live while the BBC got the rights to half of the races live. It had nothing to do with being outbid by Sky. If it was then Sky would have taken all of the races. Monaco and Australia aren't shown because the BBC choose not to show them.

Degag wrote: »

Don't the Irish Government protect Irish sport in some way? In that the All Irelands, world cup and Euro games etc have to be shown free to air?

If so surprised the British haven't done similar.

They do, they just choose to put the Open on the B list

From http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/E8E4BC58-E4FD-4282-B34D-F01AF1020188/0/IndeconFinalRedactedReport.pdf

In the UK the Group A listing is as follows:
The Olympic Games;
The FIFA World Cup Finals Tournament;
The FA Cup Final;
The Scottish FA Cup Final (in Scotland);
The Grand National;
The Derby;
The Wimbledon Tennis Finals;
The European Football Championship Finals Tournament;
The Rugby League Challenge Cup Final;
The Rugby World Cup Final.

The UK Group B listing is comprised of the following:
Cricket Test Matches played in England;
Non-Finals play in the Wimbledon Tournament;
All Other Matches in the Rugby World Cup Finals Tournament;
Six Nations Rugby Tournament Matches Involving Home Countries;
The Commonwealth Games;
The World Athletics Championship;
The Cricket World Cup Final, Semi-finals and Matches Involving Home
Nations’;
The Ryder Cup;
The Open Golf Championship

Degag

valoren wrote: »

I hope at the very least it will be the same deal as the Masters Coverage.
i.e. that the weekend coverage is still getting shown on the BBC?

Is it the first 2 days or last 2 days of the Masters on the Beeb?

lertsnim wrote: »

They do, they just choose to put the Open on the B list

From http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/E8E4BC58-E4FD-4282-B34D-F01AF1020188/0/IndeconFinalRedactedReport.pdf

That's even worse so - they have a list but decide to put something with the heritage of The Open on the B list

Keano

James Corrigan's piece in the Telegraph today is very good - here

Even with The Open being FTA is only gets 1 million viewers - that's a very small amount.

Golfgraffix

Part of the Sky deal will involve limiting the number of commercial breaks during its live coverage to a maximum of four minutes per hour, with each break running for just 60 seconds.

valoren

Degag wrote: »

Is it the first 2 days or last 2 days of the Masters on the Beeb?



That's even worse so - they have a list but decide to put something with the heritage of The Open on the B list

It's been the last 2 days live coverage for the Masters.

Last year, it was 4.5 hours coverage on the Saturday from 7.30pm
Coverage usually starts at 9.30 on the Sunday until the finish.

The first two days are limited to 1 hour the following evening.

Harry Palmr

Keano wrote: »

James Corrigan's piece in the Telegraph today is very good - here

Even with The Open being FTA is only gets 1 million viewers - that's a very small amount.

Ah now, the Open is on for about 10 hours a day Thursday and Friday you need to look at the peaks. If you have that million for the whole broadcast you'd be very happy, and look for peaks of 2-3 million on the first two days then considerably higher than that on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Keano

Even if his figure is off and we take 2 million, the population of the UK is roughly 64 million.

Those viewing figures are really poor, if a regular TV show was getting those viewing figures it's be dropped after 1 season.

Wimbledon finals average around 10 million viewers - no way will a Sunday of The Open get near those figures.

Harry Palmr

It would be cancelled if it was a series getting 2 million on BBC One at 8 or 9 pm but its a one off golf event in the daytime hours. Different standards.

Keano

It's still miles behind other sports shown on BBC. Hence why I don't think they fought that hard to keep it

Senecio

Re-runs of Freinds would get better numbers to be fair.

Speak Now

Senecio wrote: »

Re-runs of Freinds would get better numbers to be fair.

BBC dont have the rights to that either

Keano

Aye. Im just not buying it leaving the BBC will discourage more people taking it up.

FixdePitchmark

Shocking move.

Golf has sold out a long time ago. But that basically means golf will not be on non pay per view tv.

There is only a few sports that can basically not give a **** about viewers - soccer is one of the few.

I wouldn't mind Peter Dawson is retiring this year - some legacy.

Every single golfer I know first seen golf on BBC - so kids will basically not see golf.

Golf - now up past UFC and professional bull riding.

Disgraceful. Short sighted.

Sky is the death of minor sports - Football so popular - it can do anything it wants. Golf can't


"Only history will tell if Dawson is right or wrong - but given that 5.5 million people watched Rory McIlroy win The Open, he is throwing away a lot of viewers. The 2014 Ryder Cup audience peaked at 1.74m, while Sky's highest-rated football match of last season (Chelsea v Liverpool) drew just 3m."

Russman

At first I was against it moving to Sky, but that's probably more because I need to have Sky Sports to see it now. It was more or less the only golf the BBC had anyway (bar a few other small bits n pieces, sorry Ladies Open !), and I don't think many nowadays will have taken up the game because of seeing the Open on BBC, not with all the different media outlets around now. The masses are much more aware of what sports are going on these days.

It's unfortunate that the tradition of Peter Alliss, uninterrupted coverage etc is gone, nothing better than sitting watching the Sat or Sun for 8 hours solid, but I don't think playing numbers will be impacted one jot.

FixdePitchmark

To add to above, golfers will not admit it - but the Ryder Cup going to Sky has killed it in the public's exposure.

The one golf event that non golfers "got into" - the viewing figures above a joke.

Kingswood Rover

This is a funny one barstoolers arguing over a sport moving from one channel to the other. I love golf but by jaysus it bores the pants of me watching it, bar maybe the last 9 holes of a major comp or tournament, only if it is tight and an Irish player is in contention. Take last weeks tourney in the states yes maybe the last hour or so of coverage could kept my attention and i only say that because of Arnold Palmers sorry Ryan's collapse and knowing how it panned out..... i play with lads and they would be asking what did you think of the golf last night and this would be Friday morn ( i work shift before you ask) i would look at the questioner with a quizzical look and say what tournament oh the Massey Ferguesson Winter Masters Challenge or something else obscure, ah lads get a life Golf on TV is boring full stop, playing golf, now you are talking. The real moan here is posters giving out about now having to pay for the Open after having free BeeB since the 2nd World War.

valoren

Kingswood Rover wrote: »

This is a funny one barstoolers arguing over a sport moving from one channel to the other. I love golf but by jaysus it bores the pants of me watching it, bar maybe the last 9 holes of a major comp or tournament, only if it is tight and an Irish player is in contention. Take last weeks tourney in the states yes maybe the last hour or so of coverage could kept my attention and i only say that because of Arnold Palmers sorry Ryan's collapse and knowing how it panned out..... i play with lads and they would be asking what did you think of the golf last night and this would be Friday morn ( i work shift before you ask) i would look at the questioner with a quizzical look and say what tournament oh the Massey Ferguesson Winter Masters Challenge or something else obscure, ah lads get a life Golf on TV is boring full stop, playing golf, now you are talking. The real moan here is posters giving out about now having to pay for the Open after having free BeeB since the 2nd World War.

I feel the same way about people talking about Bolton's win away at Stoke last night for example. I want to watch Champions League knockout, top of the table clashes, the business end of the major competitions.

That is a valid point and highlights the sheer saturation of the most popular sports on TV at the moment. It certainly lessens the impact and excitement of watching them for me.

I guess it's a nostalgia thing for a lot of people. We all remember watching the Masters and the Open on the BBC. There was no Golf each and every week. It was an annual treat growing up. For me personally, the BBC wednesday night preview of the Masters with Steve Ryder marked the start of the Golf season.

Now, we have your Booz Allen Classics each and every week, so the magic of having two of the games most prestigious tournaments to look forward to, to anticipate, is certainly gone.

Golf is not the exception here mind.

I don't play Rugby but will watch the Six Nations.
I don't play Tennis but will watch some Wimbledon.
I don't play snooker but will watch the matches at the Crucible.

Why? Because I like sports. I can't watch all of the sports, all of the time, but will certainly watch their marquee events.

All sports have them. The Open, as the oldest tournament, is Golf's.

I don't play Rugby but I could watch Pro12 games if I wanted.
I don't play Tennis and could watch David Cup matches if I wanted.
I could watch the snooker China Open if I wanted.

But, the point is, to do the above, to get my saturated coverage fix, I would need to pay a subscription.

Golf has been robbed of it's marquee event, free to air to anyone half interested in watching, as it will only be available on subscription from 2017. It's riled up a lot of golf fans especially considering rights were let go for such a pithy sum (£3m). It's not a case of Sky making the R&A an offer they couldn't refuse.