Exclusive: BBC makes late swoop for Open highlights deal
The BBC has secured a last-minute deal to show evening highlights of the Open Championship at Royal Portrush this week.
The R&A has agreed a new three-year deal with the BBC for highlights in a contract that also covers the Women’s Open, starting with the 2025 edition at Royal Porthcawl at the end of the month.
The BBC’s late move comes as a surprise and is a boost for both organisers The R&A and golf fans, as the corporation has shown little interest in the sport in recent years.
A long-term contract for live rights to the Open was terminated a year early by the BBC in 2016, with Sky Sports taking over live coverage, and while the Beeb has shown highlights since then it had opted not to renew a contract that expired last year.
The Rory McIlroy factor may have influenced the BBC’s decision to make a late bid, with the reigning Masters champion playing on his home course in Northern Ireland likely to boost interest among casual fans.
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The BBC did not broadcast any highlights of McIlroy’s triumph in Augusta this year, which some at the corporation have privately admitted was an error.
The Open is a more attractive property for the BBC, however, due to earlier finishing times in this country, which should deliver a bigger audience.
This week’s highlights programmes are due to be shown at 9pm on Thursday and Friday before starting at 10pm on Saturday and Sunday.
The R&A and BBC did not comment, but an announcement is expected in the next few days.
Meanwhile, Sky Sports will be able to call upon footage provided by both a drone and a camera plane for the first time at an Open Championship this week.
Regulations surrounding the use of drones are far stricter in the UK than in the US, where their use by broadcasters is commonplace at Majors and on the PGA Tour, but the R&A has been able to secure permission to use one at Portrush.