US golf’s PGA of America body has extended its broadcast rights agreement with media giant NBCUniversal and its Versant division, ensuring the NBC Sports and USA Sports channels will retain coverage of elite tournaments, including the flagship Ryder Cup teams competition.
This new agreement runs through 2033, a two-year extension on the current deal (running through 2031), which serves as a vote of confidence in the nascent media division, which was recently spun off by NBCUniversal.
Over the course of the agreement, NBC Sports and USA Sports will broadcast major tournaments such as the annual KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (one of women's golf's five majors), the Senior PGA Championship, the PGA Professional Championship (not to be confused with the PGA Championship major), and most prominently the biennial international Ryder Cup tournament (co-organized by the PGA of America).
Indeed, this extension means the 2033 Ryder Cup, which will be held in the Uss at Olympic Club in San Francisco, will be covered by the agreement.
These will air on the NBC linear channel and Peacock streaming service, as well as the Versant-owned
Golf Channel, the Versant-owned sport-specific linear offering, will also continue its coverage of those competitions, including its exclusive PGA Championship and Senior Championship presentation.
Speaking on the agreement, PGA of America chief executive Terry Clark said: “Extending our partnership with NBC Sports and USA Sports through 2033 reflects the strength of our collaboration and our shared vision for the future of the game.
“Together, we will deliver comprehensive coverage of the Ryder Cup, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, and PGA Professional Championship, presenting each at the highest level while elevating our major championships and marquee events as defining stages for the game, our partners, and the communities we serve.
"We will continue showcasing the exceptional talent of PGA of America Golf Professionals and celebrating the very best in championship golf.”
While the Ryder Cup remains perhaps the most coveted trophy in golf, and one of the sport’s biggest commercial and broadcast opportunities, the 2025 edition was somewhat of a damp squib for NBC in the US.
The three-day contest was won 15-13 by Team Europe after a dramatic final day that generated strong viewership gains in the UK, but conversely, it was reported that the final round brought in the lowest viewership numbers in 25 years for NBC across the Atlantic.
NBC could only secure an average final round viewing figure of 3.22 million, significantly down on recent Ryder Cup final rounds.
As many as 3.51 million tuned into the equivalent round during the 2021 Ryder Cup - the last time the event was held in the US (hosted at Whistling Straits in the state of Wisconsin).
The next Ryder Cup will take place in Europe, specifically at Adare Manor in Ireland, in 2027.
