USGA renews deals with NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel
USGA renews deals with NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel
Despite the spin off of Comcast-owned cable channels into a new company called Versant, the US Open will remain right where it is.
Golf fans won’t have any trouble finding the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, and other USGA championships over the next seven years. Those events are staying right where they have been in recent years: on USA Network and Golf Channel, which have agreed to a new deal with the USGA to continue broadcasting a total of 11 championships until 2032.
Key Details:
- No spin worries: USGA rights head back to USA Network and Golf Channel despite their being spun off by Comcast.
- NBC still in the mix: NBC will remain the exclusive broadcast home of some USGA events until 2032.
- Preening Peacock: Peacock is likely to continue offering U.S. Open coverage found on NBC.
The deal between the USGA, USA Network, and Golf Channel is the first sports rights agreement for Versant, the company created when Comcast decided to spin off most of its cable channels into a separate firm. That split is due to finish sometime in the next year or so, but the USGA agreement makes it clear that Versant won’t simply be chum in the water to be scooped up by some larger entity.
NBC is not going with Comcast cable channels in the spin-off, but will retain some USGA rights nevertheless. The channel will remain the exclusive broadcast home of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, and U.S. Senior Open until 2032, events that will also air simultaneously on USA Network. Golf Channel is due to receive expanded, exclusive live coverage of multiple USGA championships, including the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Amateur, Walker Cup, Curtis Cup, U.S. Boys’ and Girls’ Junior, and U.S. Senior Women’s Open and U.S. Adaptive Open.
“The value NBCU and Versant place on the USGA brand is evident,” USGA CEO Mike Whan said, “and this agreement enables the USGA to further advance our mission to positively impact the game, while providing the most expansive coverage and broadest reach to showcase USGA championships.”
The press release announcing the deal between the USGA and these channels did not specify whether or not any coverage of events would be presented on Peacock. However, that streamer has traditionally offered all live coverage of the U.S. Open that airs on NBC during the course of the tournament, and I’d expect that arrangement to continue.
The Streamable wondered specifically if the spin off of Comcast cable channels would affect the broadcast arrangements for the U.S. Open, but it appears USGA is not concerned that Versant will show any lack of stability or inability to keep itself in business over the course of their deal. The rights to USGA events went to the open market after an exclusive negotiation window with NBCUniversal expired without a deal, casting some doubt on whether or not the two sides would reunite.
Earlier this week, however, reports emerged that the USGA was close to a reconciliation with its former TV partners, and that has now come to fruition. Hopefully, it’s some comfort to confused sports fans who are watching their favorite events change hands furiously that the U.S. Open is staying right where it is.
Peacock
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