The new deal with the US Golf Association gives Sky Sports exclusive coverage of each US Open Championship the second Major of the season – for the next five years. The first tournament under the contract will be the 2000 event from Pebble Beech, the 100th US Open Championship.
The contract also gives exclusive live coverage of the US Seniors Open and US Women’s Open for the next five years, the annual Amateur Championship and the next American-based Walker Cup [2001] and Curtis Cup [2002].
Announcing the deal, Vic Wakeling, Managing Director of Sky Sports, said: ‘We now have live golf signed and sealed for the next five years. To say I’m delighted is an understatement – the US Open was not only won against competitive bids, but secured for a longer term than ever before.
He continued: We have a great pedigree in live golf broadcasting – we saw the rise of Tiger Woods on the US Tour, have followed each of Monty’s Order of Merit wins, have had live Majors golf for six successive seasons, and witnessed two European victories in the Ryder Cup. With live deals for the European Tour and PGA of America golf now gets as much live coverage as football across the Sky Sports network. And there’s plenty more to come.
Sky Sports live golf line-up now boasts:
THE US OPEN – This year’s US Open will be the final event under the existing four-year contract, secured in 1996. Sky Sports will broadcast all four days of the tournament live, from Pinehurst in North Carolina on 17-20 June. If the title is decided in a play-off, continuous live coverage will extend into a fifth day Monday 21 June.
US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP – Under a separate contract with the PGA of America, Sky Sports has exclusive rights to all four days of the final Major of the season. The 1999 tournament will be played at the Medinah CC in Chicago, Illinois from August 12-15.
THE RYDER CUP In September Sky Sports will broadcast its third Ryder Cup, live from the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Sky Sports viewers witnessed Europe’s dramatic victory on American soil in 1995 and, two years later, their successful defence in Valderrama.
PGA EUROPEAN TOUR Coverage has increased from just 10 events in 1993 to 31 live tournaments in 1999 with events as far afield as Australia, South Africa and Malaysia. This season the focus will be on Ryder Cup qualification and Sky Sports will show the last ranking event, the BMW International in Munich, live from 19-22 August.
US PGA TOUR Up to 45 live events are covered each year under a new three-year deal secured in January. Live events include The Players Championship and Tour Championship. The final ranking event for the 1999 Ryder Cup will be the US PGA Championship in August.
WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP Two live events in 1999 and three live events in 2000, This year’s coverage of February’s Andersen Consulting Matchplay Championship and August’s NEC Invitational will be joined by the World Team Cup in 2000.
THE NIKE TOUR The emerging stars of American golf are followed in Golf Extra. Up to ten events are covered each season `for the next three years.
SENIORS GOLF A deal with the PGA Tour gives live coverage of the Ford Seniors Championship, Senior Tour Championship and regular highlights of the remaining Seniors events.
LADIES GOLF This season’s line-up includes live coverage of the US Open and the LPGA Tour Championship.
For further information please contact Chris Haynes
or Rachel Jeffreys at Sky Sports on 0171-705 3905 / 3406