The BBC lose coverage of The Open

[Rich Goodale]

Bingo, Shivas!

We are all players of a beautiful game that does not need to grow, and has the amazing advantage over virtually all other semi-physical games in that it can be played over a lifetime.  Our main problem is increasing costs at the coal face (Macbuildings, excessive maintenance, loss leader F&B, overstaffing, etc.) which all lead to increasing prices, which leads to lower usage which leads to the death of the game.

The R&A and the USGA do not have a clue.

Rkich

[JMEvensky]

+1 to Shiv and Rihc.

But,if you're the R&A,don't you have a responsibility to maximize the value of your assets? How does a Board member say no to that type of increase?

If the R&A took the extra money and spent it in defense of the game's traditions (however traditions is defined),wouldn't this be a good thing for golf?

[Niall C]

Ally
Don’t get me wrong, I too will miss golf on the BBC as I don’t have Sky either and nor will I pay the heavy price for it. That however doesn’t mean the BBC performance hasn’t been rubbish.

Yes there is a lack of commercial ads on the BBC however even with that advantage over commercial channels they still manage to drop the ball. In place of commercial ads you get the Beeb plugging their own programmes, endless shots of spectators falling asleep in the rough, children playing, local wildlife, some fat b*stards eating ice cream while all the while Alliss whitters on about dear old Christy and how they used to get 2/6 for winning and they had to change in the car park. Absolute drivel.

All that top and tailed by the ex-footballer and feminist activist. What happened to dear old Dougie for f*cks sake !!

Then there’s the actual golf coverage. Constant coverage of the same old players irrespective of whether they shoot 65 or 75 or indeed par their way round. No room for lesser known players who are challenging or are having a good round, other than perhaps seeing them hole out at the 18th. Given how many cameras they have and how long they are on air that’s pathetic. Sky may be equally as guilty in that respect, don’t know haven’t seen enough, but at least they seem to care.

At the end of the day I’d like to think the R&A gave the BBC the chance to up their game (as well as their price) and suspect that they did, but given the BBC’s attitude to sport of late I doubt they made the effort.

Rich/Dave,

Agreed, I couldn’t give a monkeys about growing the game, I’d much rather concentrate on preserving it. That said, it’s a bit hard on the R&A to blame them for the ills of the professional tours and members clubs failing to make ends meet. I’m sure if they were in control of such things you would be jumping up and down even more.

Niall

[Jud_T]

... I thought that the R&A's responsability was to grow the game.

And I thought their responsibility was to protect and administer the game...

This "grow the game" crap HAS TO END!  Every single effort to grow the game has HARMED the game.  Buggies.  Equipment. The ball.  Huge purses.   "Championship courses".    Hospitality tents.  Corporate sponsorship.  TV deals.  World Championships.   Every single one.  The list goes on and on and on...

 The goal must be to protect the game.  When will these dunderheads realize that all the circuses they've surrounded the game with does nothing but asphixiate the beautiful simplicity that IS the lure of the game?   It's insanity.

+1

[Jon Wiggett]

+1 to Shiv and Rihc.

But,if you're the R&A,don't you have a responsibility to maximize the value of your assets? How does a Board member say no to that type of increase?

No, they have no responsibility to build a giant piggybank.  They can protect the game dead, flat broke.  They don't need money.  They need moral high-ground and the ability to influence.  Last I checked, those can't be bought.  An R&A Board member says no to the perversions of the game and the tack-on circuses peddled their way by simply saying no.  That also is free.

I too agree with what both you and Rihc have said. Rihc, I do not think there is a mandate to actually grow the game but certainly they need to protect it and letting it slip into decline is not the way to go about it. The R&A are in the position where they can pick and choose what dels they take on. The wall to wall coverage of The Open on the BBC is the best advert the game had and would cost millions to replicate but the R&A were paid to get it. There is a lack of under 30's now playing the game and in 30 years time this will become a huge problem if not addressed now. Letting Sky have sole rights has set golf back quite a bit.

Mark,

I am afraid I am quite ignorant on the set up in cricket. I would hazard a guess however that 20/20 matches shown on terrestrial TV would reach far more non cricketers than on Sky.

Jon

Jon

[Mark Pearce]

Jon,

I'm sure they would.  I have 3 teenage sons who are becoming very competent adult cricketers.  A huge factor in getting them into the game was the 2005 Ashes series on terrestrial TV.  No doubt that any sport benefits from being well televised on free to air TV.  Sadly the BBC don't have any interest in televising cricket, a sport they cover brilliantly on radio.  TMS is an institution, a shame that radio is not going to inspire kids like TV can.

[Sean_A]

Shivas...yes, I agree..growing the game is a scam. 

Niall

Commercial free coverage beats commercial coverage all day every day.  I tried watching golf on SKY and its invasive as hell.  Loads of noise, pictures and talking...interefering with my viewing pleasure.  Golf is essentially a quiet, contemplative game.  SKY tries to make it into watching NFL. 

Ciao

[Bob_Huntley]

How many of the gallant fifteen hundred GSCAers  found playing the game without sponsorships and organizational encouragement? I would say quite a lot. I would hazard a guess the desire to play came from the child or an interested parent.

Bob 

[Niall C]

Bob

A timely intervention and a reminder for me to moderate my language.

With regards to how I got into the game, you can count me as one who got into golf through my parents. Indeed, that and being taken to the Open as a kid. If I have a criticism of the R&A it would be with regards the cost of going to the Open which has rocketed in recent years. When I was a kid, my father and mother took me and my two brothers to at least one day of the Open when it was staged in Scotland. I'd hate to think what that would now cost.

Niall

[Niall C]

Shivas...yes, I agree..growing the game is a scam. 

Niall

Commercial free coverage beats commercial coverage all day every day.  I tried watching golf on SKY and its invasive as hell.  Loads of noise, pictures and talking...interefering with my viewing pleasure.  Golf is essentially a quiet, contemplative game.  SKY tries to make it into watching NFL. 

Ciao

Sean

Again, I don't disagree with some aspects of Sky coverage however in the BBC you have a broadcaster who barely reports any golf results never mind coverage for the other 51 weeks of the year. As for viewing, there's plenty in the BBC coverage that interferes with my pleasure as I stated in earlier emails.

Niall

[Adrian_Stiff]

Just been confirmed on BBC news.

They (BBC) said that Sky Bid £10M and whilst the BBC bid more than previously Sky's deep pockets were enough to persuade the R & A to go for the higher bid. The BBC said that 5,500,000 viewers watched Rory McIlroy win last years championship and that under Sky only a fraction would now see it and that it was a shame for the future of the sport.

Analysts view: Without the 'shop window' of the Open participation numbers are likely to decline.

R & A say: More money will give us more money to distribute.

My view : The R & A are pickleheads.

[Brian_Ewen]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/golf/31114083

Open Championship: Sky wins rights; BBC to show highlights
Sky will broadcast the Open Championship from 2017 after winning exclusive live rights.

The broadcaster has signed a five-year deal to show the oldest of golf's major championships, the R&A announced.

The BBC, which has previously broadcast the tournament live, will now show a two-hour daily highlights package between 20:00 and 22:00.

The BBC will show this year's Open at St Andrews and the 2016 tournament at Royal Troon live on television.

From 2017, the BBC will continue to provide live radio coverage of the tournament on BBC Radio 5 live, and to cover the tournament online.
Director of BBC Sport Barbara Slater said: "We're obviously disappointed that we were unable to retain live TV coverage of The Open Championship.

"However, we're pleased to be continuing our 60-year partnership with the R&A and feel that a comprehensive two-hour highlights programme - a format which has already proven successful - in a prime-time slot over four days will allow us to continue to bring all the best action and key moments from The Open to a large free-to-air audience on TV, radio and online."

Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A: "We have enjoyed a long and successful relationship with the BBC and, although the nature of that relationship is changing from 2017, we are delighted that the BBC will broadcast prime-time highlights and that the Championship will continue to benefit from extensive live coverage on Radio 5 Live and online.

"Importantly, the new agreement will enable us to increase substantially our support for golf in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

"That our increased commitment to golf in both countries is to be supported by both Sky Sports and the BBC is a hugely positive step for our sport."

[Sean_A]

Shivas...yes, I agree..growing the game is a scam. 

Niall

Commercial free coverage beats commercial coverage all day every day.  I tried watching golf on SKY and its invasive as hell.  Loads of noise, pictures and talking...interefering with my viewing pleasure.  Golf is essentially a quiet, contemplative game.  SKY tries to make it into watching NFL. 

Ciao

Sean

Again, I don't disagree with some aspects of Sky coverage however in the BBC you have a broadcaster who barely reports any golf results never mind coverage for the other 51 weeks of the year. As for viewing, there's plenty in the BBC coverage that interferes with my pleasure as I stated in earlier emails.

Niall

Well, I usually turn down the broadcast volume and play music while watching...so I am not falling on your camp on this one  .

Ciao

[David_Tepper]

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/golf/top-stories/bbc-s-open-sacrifice-is-a-danger-to-growth-of-golf-1-3676679#.VM-IHmFlbTk.twitter

[Jud_T]

This is unfortunately the way all sporting events are going.  On this side of the pond the main value of sports franchises is the present value of the future cashflow from their yet-to-be-determined pay TV contracts (see LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, etc...).  Sports are one of the few remaining programs that people watch in real time, when they have to sit through the commercials.  What I don't understand is if we're already paying for a premium service, it should provide BETTER programming and MORE choice, not less.  As for the R&A they jumped the shark when they decided to "improve" the Old Course, so this is just another fart in a stiff breeze for those hacks...

[Greg Taylor]

I attended "an evening with Peter Alliss" a couple of years ago... he spoke about his family, Royal Porthcawl and other tidbits.

In the Q&A he was asked about Sky's influence on golf. He was very complimentary, saying they had brought US golf into our lounges and the coverage was great, adverts aside.

I'm with other posters on here however, there is way too much "chat" (is it Gary McCord? shut the feck up). Hopefully when Sky get the rights they'll run with a UK based production team with a more relaxed commentary... less is more.

[David_Tepper]

Peter Dawson explains:

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2015/02/ras-outgoing-chief-executive-e.html

[Ed Tilley]

Sky has transformed the landscape in the sense that there is so much more golf on now than there was. As a kid in the 80s you certainly couldn't watch the US open or PGA, let alone regular events. BBC did the Open and the Masters, and a few British tour events - when there used to be 4 or 5. I don't think they covered all the holes though.

On the whole, the Sky coverage of sports is fantastic. Coverage of the European Tour and majors are good - i.e. when they have their own commentators. However, if the Ryder Cup is anything to go by, they will go so overboard on the hype that it will be a bit grating - and they'll no doubt have Monty in the commentary box. The adverts are going to be a problem as Sky seem to be incapable of going to the break without some fanfare music.

The obvious problem is kids not being able to watch and be inspired. I notice Peter Dawson describes 8-10pm as prime-time highlights - not for an 11 year old kid they're not!

[Jon Wiggett]

Ed,

I certainly got to watch the Us Open and USPGA on British terrestrial telly during the 80's.

In an interview on BBC Five Live Radio Peter Dawson admitted that the R&A would not have ended the 60+ year association with the BBC had there not been a SUBSTANTIAL difference in the money Sky offered. He then went on to say two things which says it all. The R&A had invested large sums of money into grassroots yet the game was still showing falling numbers of participation. The extra money they get from the TV deal will mean more investment in grassroots. So basically the Peter Dawson admits the R&A has being ineffectual in boosting the game so far and is planning to through good money after bad.

It certainly does not give one much hope for the future of the R&A who are in danger of ....... golf hari-kari maybe?

Jon

[Martin Toal]

Haven't read all the posts but the general tone is condemnatory. I am afraid I don't really agree. A few years ago, I may have done so, but the BBC has shown it doesn't really care about golf and would prefer costume dramas or talent shows. Sky has improved their coverage of golf greatly in recent years and will do a great job with The Open. Peter Alliss's old shtick is even older than he is, and a few Carry On style double entendres and nudge nudge wink wink quips from him don't make up for a lot of the rest of the rubbish. Sam Torrance was pretty good as the calm central man, but Mark James was terrible, uninformative and much much too fond of his own voice. Going back a bit, I used to love Dave Marr's commentary. He was great.

OK, the commercial-free aspect was great, but Sky will make up for it.

[Jon Wiggett]

Martin,

I do not doubt that Sky will do a great job its just far, far fewer people will see it. The fact that the BBC cannot compete financially with the likes of Sky does not mean they were not interested in sport. Indeed, Peter Dawson said the BBC fought very hard and did everything possible to keep the Open but price was the deciding factor.

Jon

[Mark Chaplin]

Jon - I'm certain the chief executive role of the R&A requires a significant degree of diplomacy.

[Jon Wiggett]

Jon - I'm certain the chief executive role of the R&A requires a significant degree of diplomacy.

Mark,

most certainly he must and has. I am not saying he or the R&A are stupid but they have failed to find the right course of action in the last 20 years and seem to lack any new ideas. Just carrying on in the same style that has failed to produce and just throwing ever bigger amounts of money at it is no solution.

Jon

[Mark Pearce]

Jon,

I really don't remember the U.S. Open or PGA being on the BBC during the 80s.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Jon,

I really don't remember the U.S. Open or PGA being on the BBC during the 80s.

First US Open I remember was Johnny Miller, he shot 63 in the final round so whatever year that was.
PGA I am less aware, Oosterhuis being in contention was the first Masters I remember. I think it was final day (maybe last 9 holes) but it must have been BBC. Back then ITV has some tournaments too, European ones, Dunlop Masters was the big one. Wentworth was televised (match play) but only from the 13th and 1st 2nd 3rd....after that you never heard a word for two hours!
1973 Open was covered from the 11th hole in but they covered 1-3 and 8th
1974 Open was covered from the 12th hole in plus 1-4
1975 I don't remember as I went to that one
1976 Open was 13th hole in and 1-4
1977 Open was 13th hole in and some early holes maybe to the 6th
1978, 79, 80, 81  dont know I was there
1982 might have been more like most holes though a few like 9 & 10 were excluded
1983 think there was a hole excluded that had some animal riights group that defaced a green
1984 we were getting near to every hole coverage, Wentworth too saw holes 4 to 11 for the first time. I think the Masters we saw 12 onwards and perhaps the 9th and 10th, dont realy remember US Open/PGA coverage though I think it was every hole highlights.